The complete absence of people from a table in the middle of a packed banquet hall was the centre of attention. Necks craned and strained to see who the table was booked for and who had the gall to not pitch up. Once the placard had been placed on the table for all to see and once the knowing chuckles had subsided, it became one of the evening’s biggest talking points.

The idea cost us the printing of one placard and a table for the evening. What we got was extensive television and radio coverage through volunteered publicity from industry journalists. For free.