Whoever said being an editor is easy? Deseret News City Editor Rick Hall had his hands full (not to mention his mouth) when he opened a giant box from a well-known snack-chip manufacturer.
The company had sent dozens of bags of its latest product and thoughtfully enclosed two pages of story ideas such as, "Snacks - Now They Fit Into a Healthy Lifestyle."As if that wasn't enough to whet our appetites to do a story extolling this purported breakthrough in the snack-chip world, they had also included a suggested news angle.
It seems that it's not just the media being treated to the snack-chip samples. Some 20,000 accountants nationwide, including seven in Utah, are getting similar packages this week.
The idea is that a bunch of bags of snack chips, some balloons and streamers will ease the stress of preparing last-minute income tax forms. Not to mention get everyone in the accounting offices talking about the new snack chip.
Plus, give the media a fresh angle for the traditional Income Tax Day story, which would, of course, mention the name of this product several times and use the suggested phrases that tie into the company's advertising campaign.
Well, we ate the snack chips, took a look at the pile of promotional material and even played with the streamers and balloons. But we decided the product didn't merit a news story, or even mention by name.
After all, that's what advertisements are for. And we bet comedian Jay Leno earns more than a few bags of this particular snack chip for promoting it in television commercials.