British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Surely Some Mistake (4 Parts)

Synopsis
Prominent businessmen and businesswomen talk frankly about some of their business and managerial misjudgements.
1: Former Milk Marketing Board chair Sir Stephen Roberts discusses the dairy industry’s failure to capitalise on the successful launch of Lymeswold cheese; former editor of the ‘Catholic Herald’ Harry Coen describes how an article created a furore; toy executive Bryan Ellis explains how he turned down the opportunity to manufacture Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
2: Former British Rail chairmanSir Peter Parker recalls the humiliting launch of the Advanced Passenger Train; boxing promoter Frank Warren relateds the story of his costly involvement witha multi-purpose arena in London’s Docklands that was criticised for being inaccessible.
3: Public relations consultant Lynne Frank tells how she came to regret accepting an invitation to chair Viva, Britain’s first radio station for women; restauranteurs Laurence Isaacson and Neville Abraham recall the mistakes that left their first enterprise heavily in debt; and Tie Rack’s Roy Bishko describes how a company manager’s role in a publicity campaign backfired after she left to set up the Sock Shop.
4: Anita Roddick of the Body Shop recalls how a bid to foster community trade in Nepal almost destroyed a small paper-maker; Oliviero Toscano, Benneton’s creative director, looks back on an advertising campaign that shocked Britain; Patsy Bloom of animal insurers Pet Plan describes a costly foray into the American market.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 4 x 30 min.
Year of production
1997
Availability
Sale
Notes
Broadcast on BBC2 from 20/2/97.
Subjects
Business studies
Keywords
business executives

Credits

Producer
Nick Mirsky

Sponsor

Name

BBC Television

Distributor

Name

BBC Active Video for Learning - now BBC Learning

Contact
Carolina Fernandez Jeremy Wilcox (CF - for educational enquiries JW - channel sales manager)
Email
BBCStudiosLearning@bbc.com
Web
https://www.bbcstudioslearning.com/ External site opens in new window
Phone
+44 (0) 20 8433 1009
Address
BBC Studios Limited
Television Centre
101 Wood Lane
London
W12 7FA
UK
Notes
The BBC Active company has now been absorbed within BBC Learning, a division of BBC Studios. It was originally a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Pearson Education. Formerly known as ‘BBC Worldwide Learning Studies’ and before that as ‘Videos for Education & Training’

Record Stats

This record has been viewed 761 times.