rigley's chewing gum sales have plummeted in a southern Chinese city amid a dispute over the Chinese national anthem being used as background music to a chewing gum ad in Russia. In a situation that can at best be termed sticky and at worst be termed embarrassing for Russia, complaints from the Chinese embassy in Moscow have forced an advertising agency to scrap the commercial playing on Russian television.

Sales of the gum had slipped in shops across Guangzhou since the ad became a sticking point last week. And now there is an internet survey to back that. Nearly 90 per cent of those polled said they would not forget Wrigley's faux pas. Over 17,000 people said they would not buy Wrigley's gum again.... more