A Bullet-Proof World Cup 2010 Story

Number 209 in the series of ill-judged World Cup publicity link ups – it’s the bullet proof garments story. Keen-eyed followers of World Cup Bafana Bafana 2010 will have seen something similar before. Are these people just mercenary feckheads or what?

The story comes from Metro, the early morning cousin of The Daily Mail. Metro’s writers and sub-editors have at least learned the guiding principle of any Mail affiliated product - scare your readership and throw in some fashion references while you’re at it.

Hence the headline here reads:

Designer’s bulletproof clothing range makes a killing ahead of World Cup 2010

It is followed by this sub-heading:

The upcoming World Cup in South Africa has prompted a surge in demand for a bulletproof clothing range designed by Colombian couture king Miguel Caballero

Then we get lots of references to Harrods, the £1000 price tag, world leaders who are apparently keen on the “anti-assassination collection”, guns etcetc. The most amusing bit comes when the writer says the bulletproof clothing is “elegant” enough to party in. The whole thing sounds like an outtake from the film ‘Bugsy Malone’. 

Perhaps that’s the idea, to distract us all from the complete absence of any evidence of a surge in demand. Because it doesn’t exist. The story is just an excuse to mention the World Cup and some overpriced body armour nobody will ever wear. Unless they’re taking drinks on the veranda with Tellulah before stepping onto the dance floor to Charleston the night away...

Designer's bulletproof clothing range makes a killing ahead of World Cup 2010