LET'S DO LUNCH

Inside the world of advertising

There was much head-scratching in Soho this week after Hamlet announced its return to cinema advertising, through its agency CDP, after a seven-year absence. Surely this is asking for trouble from the anti- smoking lobby? With spirits advertisers overturning their own ban on TV advertising, and producers of alcoholic lemonades squirming under media scrutiny, it looks as though advertisers have suddenly had enough: tobacco and spirits firms expect Europe to clamp down on their right to sell, so are making one last push. As one creative director says, "If Brussels is going to ban us, what have we got to lose?"

When it comes to banned advertising, Hooch wannabe Lemonhead has played up its outlaw reputation by sending out imitation prostitute telephone cards with lines such as "Take It Whole" and "Gives Good Lemon". One or two creative hot shops have been briefed to come up with more ideas along these lines. One of them, Hub, is about to suggest using the image of the junkie from the "Just Say No" campaign next to a Lemonhead bottle. The ad will read "Smackhead" and "Lemonhead". Nice ...

Adland's Mr Funky, Tom Hudson, is quitting his job as copywriter at Leagas Delaney for the creative director's post at BST-BDDP. Hudson wrote most of the Boddington's press and TV work and some of the deeply underground- style Levi's press ads.

Hudson's old agency, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, is hitting the sushi bars to celebrate after picking up pounds 10m of Levi's business in Japan. BBH is increasing its grip on the global voice of Levi's after the Claymation commercial became the first Levi's ad to be shown in every territory around the world. Japan's Levi's incumbent, McCann Erickson, can be consoled with the thought that it is probably not the last international giant to lose out to Great Pulteney Street, Soho.

It seemed like Christmas all over again at Ogilvy & Mather last week when the postroom opened a package addressed to an unknown employee and found 6.5kg of cannabis. The finance director, Peter Walker, quickly alerted the authorities. The rumour is that O&M was the victim of drugs smugglers who address packages to fictitious people at real companies, which are then intercepted by a post-office plant. They made a bit of a hash of it, however; the parcel is now with the police. Clearly, Canary Wharf is no longer the highest building in London.