Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Tuesday 27 August 2013

1855 to become Héraclès: you couldn't make it up!

1855 = Héraclès

Amazing! It has finally got through to the geniuses who run the fraudulent 1855.com that their repeated failure over many years to supply the wines that their customers have ordered has made the company's name lethally toxic. So time to change the name – wipe the slate clean and hope that that there are still enough 'pigeons' to be taken in by this scam!

Shareholders in 1855.con will be asked on 19th September to vote through a name change – laundering 1855 to Héraclès (Hercules).  

'1855 va changer de nom. La société a convoqué ses actionnaires en assemblée générale mixte le 19 septembre prochain, pour notamment entériner le changement de dénomination sociale en "Héraclès".'


How very appropriate to name a company, which sells 'mythical' wines, after a mythical character!!  

One can imagine Fabien Hyon, managing director of the 1855 group, and Emeric Sauty de Chalon, founder and president of the 1855 group   discussing the name change:

Fabien Hyon: Bonjour Emetic (Emetic is apparently the rather tasteless nickname used by Emeric's friends).
Emeric: Oui, bonjour Fabien!
Hyon: Emetic I think we have an increasing problem with 1855 name.
Emeric: Why's that?
Hyon: Doing a search on 1855.com brings up a lot of negatives. People are beginning to think we are fraudsters. It can't be long before the supply of pigeons (marks) starts to dry up. We need to react before its too late.
Emeric: Relax Fabien! Look we have got away with this scam for nearly 20 years – why change a winning formula? 
Hyon: No I'm serious Emetic – a name change would freshen everything up. All the dirty washing would go and ABUS1855.com would no longer have any meaning.
Emeric: You may have a point Fabien. Any ideas? 
Hyon: Well ...
Emeric: What about Hermes – the swift messenger to go with our new super-efficient logistics paltform?
Hyon: Emetic, I like the classical illusion but Hermes was the god of thieves! Isn't  that a bit too close to the truth?
Emeric: Perhaps...
Hyon: What about Héraclès?
Emeric: You know Fabien that's a great idea!

••

Assuming that the name change goes through on 19th September. The Fifth Labour of Hercules – Cleansing the Augean Stables – should become the First. Even better if the French authorities took on Herculean properties by closing down the 1855 stable!    

1 comment:

Luc Charlier said...

Hermes was also the protector of medecine, Jim. Any link in your eyes? And he was the guardian of highways and road-crossings: surely very useful if you contemplate FAST delivery of long overdue merchandise! But, alas, it was not to be.
As of Hercules, don’t forget his long stay with Omphale (the belly-button), very appropriate if you consider the high opinion your two characters have of themselves.