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Well what dreams May brings.
There can hardly be a household that isn’t already preparing for fights over the remote, planning intricate social schedules and postponing all other engagements from June 9th onwards.
The Fifa World Cup is about to kick off and this is the month that it has all begun full tilt. Rather like a frenzied exam revision session, we are being deluged with facts, figures and an "all you ever needed to know for the World Cup"media diet. For starters, there’s listening to daily progress on Rooney’s foot, discovering through an indepth documentary that he is the sole talisman for our team and is beginning to outgrow his stroppy teens (it’s all down to his frontal lobes and nothing to do with kit or talent apparently). Then, there are the free footie dvds, the endless repeats and analysis of 1966, tv temptations like "Who stole the World Cup" and a slightly desperate interview with Maradonna. Ok some of it is scraping the barrel, but I personally take great delight in any excuse to watch Escape to Victory – who needs Goal when you have the greats!
The fact is, you would have to be in monastic training to be missing the energy and opportunity that the Fifa World Cup is presenting right now. On hamburgers, mobile phones, sweets and just about anything that moves, or not. So much is available to produce a creative retail environment that will connect with customers’ imagination.
It has become a month of anticipation, with emotions running high already. Arsenal bidding a historic farewell to Highbury in fitting style, Tottenham discovering that a Naked Chef is better than a dogs dinner of a pre match meal, "that" foot injury, a thrilling FA Cup Final, Shearer hanging his boots up and my local football club manager sent off in discrace. That’s football, an emotional rollercoaster and the industry should be enjoying the ride. Personally, I believe that the the pen is truly mightier than the Swede – and am backing fellow scribe and MP Boris Johnson for England.. Not as manager, but as the stealth weapon he proved to be in what was probably the football highlight of the month, England v Germany legends. His name’s definitely on the back of my new girls’ fit shirt – finally a brand realises that size does matter!
So, I wish all of you a prosperous run up to this ultimate sporting occasion. And thank you too for the fantastic response to our new style magazine! Our independent editorial stance, expert contributors and the new separate sections for business, core retail, active and sports style have certainly scored highly in reflecting modern sports business needs. Come on …. SGB UK!
Lauren Fox, Editor
