A lesson in client liaison

February 14, 2010

Recently we have been doing some work for the Confucius Institute in Cardiff.  They are a fascinating organisation, who have bases at universities around the UK and spend their time building links with China.  One of their projects is to introduce Chinese culture to the education system, by encouraging schools to teach Mandarin and running workshops for children on Chinese traditions and creativity.  We have really enjoyed working with them to build their brand awareness and create an online presence for some of their projects.

However, we do feel the need to apologise to the First Minister for the Welsh Assembly Government.  In trying to describe a photo of Chinese belly dancing to the client, we described it in an email as the photo with “two men enjoying the belly dancing rather a lot”.  We received a polite but corrective email stating that one of the “rather excited men” was his director and the other was the First Minister for the Welsh Assembly.  Whoops!  Sincere apologies to Mr Rhodri Morgan of the labour party and Mr director.  We will bake you some cookies.

The lesson here is that if you do not wish to look like a prize baboon (I wonder what that would look like?!) then be very careful what you say and to whom.