Shock blitz puts Next on Taiwan's political agenda

<p>TAIPEI: Upon hearing that the launch issue of the local edition of Next </p><p>Magazine would include a story about her private life, Taiwan President </p><p>Chen Shui-bian's daughter, Chen Hsin-shu, held an impromtu press </p><p>conference at the Taipei hospital where she works. When the scene was </p><p>aired that same day on the evening news, Chen was seen pacing back and </p><p>forth, uttering again and again the Mandarin phrase "goudzaidwei" - </p><p>"paparazzi" in English. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>That term is on everyone's lips thanks to a controversial campaign for </p><p>the magazine by Saatchi & Saatchi Taiwan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"In six days, the advertising has become a major topic of conversation," </p><p>said Saatchi Taiwan CEO Neil Hardwick. "There have already been five </p><p>press conferences by politicians and celebrities responding to the </p><p>advertising, before the magazine even launched." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The theme of the campaign is that no one is too high or mighty to escape </p><p>the scrutiny of this new style of journalism. This includes one </p><p>execution in which a politician turns into a pig after he washes his </p><p>face. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaign has resulted in Next's entire print run of 300,000 copies </p><p>selling out in eight hours, according to the magazine's publisher. If it </p><p>maintains that level it will be Taiwan's largest magazine. Local </p><p>circulation-leader Reader's Digest sells around 200,000 copies, with </p><p>China Times Weekly, TVBS Weekly and Scoop at around 80,000. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>