Weekly Rewind: February 16
We're spreading a little love this week with stories of giant floating hearts, a comfort-giving Golden Retriever, and a supportive stay-at-home superhero spouse.
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5. Amazon Echo ad cleared over cat food kerfuffle
They've been billed as a godsend for the time-strapped, but some voice assistants are carrying out instructions a bit too assiduously, it seems. The BBC reported this week on a complaint to the ASA by an Echo Dot owner whose device 'overheard' an ad in which a man asked Amazon's Alexa to order Purina cat food... and promptly ordered Purina cat food. Despite a spate of similar incidents in the US, the ASA ruled the ad was not 'socially irresponsible' and didn't breach the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising due to Alexa's inbuilt automatic cancellation functionality.
4. Hindmarch sends out a surprise love letter to London
If you gazed up at London's grey skies this week, you might've glimpsed giant, heart-shaped helium balloons bobbing around and above famous landmarks like Battersea Power Station, The Ritz and Piccadilly Circus. According to Vogue, it was all part of a romantic stunt by designer Anya Hindmarch, which she dubbed a 'surprise love letter to London'. Unveiled on Valentine's Day to promote London Fashion Week, we think it was a wonderful way to spread a little love across the city.
3. Grenfell Tower campaigners take inspiration from Three Billboards
Widely tipped for Oscars glory next month, it seems critically-acclaimed movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is inspiring real-life action away from the silver screen. As the BBC reported this week, campaigners for justice following the Grenfell Tower tragedy - a West London tower block blaze caused by unsafe building materials - drove three lorries through London bearing black-and-red billboards reading: "71 dead. And still no arrests? How come?" in an echo of the infamous adverts taken out by Frances McDormand's character in the film. The action was planned with an unnamed ad agency after concerns that the tragedy was "ebbing out of the public consciousness" and "people [were] becoming desensitised."
2. Emotional support dog comforts disaster survivors
Next month ushers in the Chinese New Year of the Dog, and here's a shining example of man's best friend, as reported in the Metro today. Golden Retriever Jacob is part of a team of dogs who are flown to the scene of disasters in the US to provide what comfort they can to people in crisis. Having worked as a support dog following the Orlando nightclub and the Las Vegas country music festival massacres, Jacob has now arrived in Parkland, Florida to help the devastated community in the wake of another horrific high-school shooting this week. Such is Jacob's appeal that he's even got his own Facebook page - and you can help the organisation continue its work by contributing to his travel expenses here.
1. Mrs Incredible takes centre stage
The trailer for The Incredibles 2, the sequel to Pixar's 2004 superhero smash, dropped this week and it's got a thoroughly modern premise, according to an article in Stylist. In the teaser, we see Elastigirl (aka Mrs Incredible) heading out to perform world-saving duties as the face of a new superhero PR campaign, while her husband wrestles with the challenges of domestic life as a stay-at-home dad. “I’ve got to succeed so she can succeed!” he proclaims. With the film set for release on June 15, we can't wait to see Mrs Incredible go out and kick ass.
