October 06, 2009

Annals Of Marketing

Montblanc, the Swiss penmaker, has introduced a fountain pen to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi.

The limited edition pen has an 18-carat solid gold, rhodium plated (whatever the hell that is) nib and is engraved with Gandhi's image.

It sells for about $25,000.

Montblanc's chief knucklehead in India said that the pen embodies Gandhi's "timeless philosophy of non-violence and respect for all living creatures." Yeah, right.

What it actually embodies is the timeless, relentless greed and crassness of marketers.

Mr. Amit Modi, secretary of the Gandhi Ashram said, "If he had seen this he would have thrown it away."

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