Ryan MacMillan

Legend has it that, “six months before the Balmoral building in Manhattan was to open in 1909, the owner announced that all but two of the apartments were already met. The announcement was pure invention, but it was believed, and therefore within three weeks it was so.”

And from the BBC now:

Nintendo is considering pulling UK television advertising for its popular Wii console in the run up to Christmas because it is battling to meet demand. It said that holding back adverts until 2008 would be a “responsible” move.

It now expects to have sold 17.5 million of the consoles worldwide in the year to March 2008 - up from the 14 million it had earlier forecast.”

The BBC, ladies and gentlemen, bringing you the very best in PR stunts masquerading as corporate social responsibility since 1922.

Now look, I don’t mind Nintendo having a little fun with the old “Oh, no, we’re just too popular! However shall we cope?” schtick. What I do mind is the BBC blindly parroting Nintendo’s press announcements as though they were, in and of themselves, news. The article amounts to little more than free advertising.

Also, I’m kind of mad that I can’t get a Wii for love nor money.