South Africa, Feb. 4 -- Positive: Admitting to and rectifying mistakes can promote a brand. Negative: An Onion for SA Tourism and its PR and communications general manager...

This is one serious country. So serious, in fact, it is difficult to tell when it is real or when it is just someone taking the mickey. Mind you, there is not much difference between some "serious" real explanations and actual lunacy.

Often, in our day-to-day lives we'll experience that "are you kidding me?" moment, when what you are being asked is so ridiculous that it seems like a joke. And that's the sort of urban anguish Spar has tapped into with its ads for its Tops@Spar liquor outlets.

One that's flighting at the moment has two examples of your average, outr...