It’s common for companies to use the news to capture people’s attention, as we’ve seen in the past with the World Cup, and even the advent of Obama. So when Paul the octopus started predicting World Cup results it came as little surprise to see the international media flocking to cover the story. And this spelt plenty of publicity for the zoo.

The zoo had obviously learnt a thing or two about marketing from the Berlin zoo that hit the headlines a couple of years ago with the fluffy cuddly polar bear, Knut.

Now it’s nice to see the users of news, the zoo, being used by other marketing executives to make their news. Sounds complex, but actually it’s simple. The English are bidding for the 2018 World Cup to be staged on the traditional football fields of England. So to boost their bid, they’ve turned to Paul the octopus. The link might sound tenuous, but it’s not, because actually this octopod oracle is originally from England anyway.

Well, I guess it’s a case of you tickle my tentacle, I’ll tickle yours. A win-win arrangement for both parties.

I only hope, wherever the World Cup is staged in 2018, they either introduce goal line technology, or the English learn to play better football in the finals than they did this year.