Famed hypemeister, Alan Caruba, has revealed the secrets of "hype", describing twenty ways to spot it. It’s hype, says the PR guru, if…
1. An overnight courier service delivers the material.
2. It’s addressed to an editor who died some years ago.
3. It comes in a "cute" package such as a hot pizza.
4. You immediately get a call asking if it arrived.
5. The word "toxic" occurs repeatedly.
6. It’s about something that threatens all life on Earth.
7. It’s about a new "scientific" study.
8. Its author is unfamiliar with the English language.
9. Its topic remains a mystery even after the third reading.
10. It’s from a government agency.
11. It arrives in triplicate, in large, flat envelopes.
12. It’s from a politician.
13. It’s from a "fabulous" place to visit.
14. It has anything to do with sex.
15. It’s about a new film.
16. It’s about a new television show.
17. It’s about animals.
18. It’s about a celebrity.
19. Voice mail thwarts all efforts to verify.
20. It uses phrases like "famed hypemeister."
