When Gary Barlow said to one of the X-Factor contestants that his act was like ‘a bad pantomime in Scarborough’ the audience lapped it up in the usual way. Criticism like that is, after all, just part of the X-Factor experience.

But for some Scarborians, the comment meant far more than the throwaway line it was intended to be. According to the local paper the comment has sparked outrage and fury.

However, I was impressed when I heard an interview with the head of one of Scarborough’s pantomimes on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Breakfast show today. Because rather than complaining about Barlow’s comments, he was thanking him for bringing attention to the town and already had promotional posters being printed with the slogan ‘As criticised by Gary Barlow!’.

I loved that – not only was the getting national news coverage for his production but he was going to milk the opportunity even further by playing on Barlow’s comment with his posters around the town.

That is pure opportunism and should be applauded. If those kind of opportunities come your way in business, you have to take them.

The only thing he didn’t do was get in a plug for his website or give out an 0800 number to enable people to buy tickets.  Maybe there will be a next time to rectify this, but I doubt that Gary Barlow will give them a second chance…

 

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