So the privatized Dutch postal service, TNT, issued a 2007 series of stamps commemmorating nine modern icons of Dutch design [plus tulips]. Silhouettes of both the Bugaboo and the Heineken longneck were included in the set, which was designed by, um, Bugaboo and Heineken's agency. [Look, when I say it's a small country, I'm serious. You can cross the whole country on a bakfiets--also included on the stamps, btw--in like 45 minutes.]
As any high profile shortlist would, the Dutch Icon stamps have caused some controversy. First it was the vegetarians, who are offended at the inclusion of a Unox brand smoked sausage. They apparently don't want to be seen supporting meat with their mail.
And then there's the communists, or whatever you call folks who get worked up at the news that TNT charged some companies to be included. Heineken ponied up some marketing budget, and Bugaboo reportedly paid TNT 30,000 euros. [Guess those agency connections didn't help much after all.] I think the Babelfish translation put it best:
‘Die 30 thousand euro of Bugaboo are only schijntje’, a spokesman of TNT says. ‘De whole production costs some millions. For the companies it is ordinary publicity. A voluntary contribution is not therefore vreemd.’Until I hear otherwise, I'm operating under the assumption that 'schijntje' means "a tiny fraction of their monthly blog advertising budget going forward."
Some companies have given no contribution according to TNT. ‘Dat for us no reason has been that company to incorporate in this serial postzegels.’ Thus [the department store] HEMA pay for example nothing for Lapin-fluitketel, but name ‘HEMA’ does not stand thus on the seal. Dave Deutsch, mede-eigenaar of the bicycle factory [i.e., bakfiets], have paid also nothing for the seal. ‘Het is really a bit recognition for us. We consider the seal as won prijs’.
TNT sells advertisement space on postage stamps [adformatie.nl via dt reader erik]
Previously: Introducing the Bugaboo Stamp
It wasn't so much "supporting meat with their mail" so much as the fact that the stamps tasted like smoked sausage when you licked them.