stunts

Drivers draw crowds of spectators as they perform stunts such as “doughnuts” — spinning their cars in circles until their tires burn rubber marks on the pavement.

Israeli authorities have characterised the attempts to sail aid to Gaza as publicity stunts that offered no real humanitarian assistance.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has repeatedly defended the proscription of Palestine Action and has described it as more than a "regular protest group known for occasional stunts".

"If these Democrats focused on fixing crime in their own cities instead of doing publicity stunts to criticise the President, their communities would be much safer."

And yet, while the stunts and apologies grab headlines, they are only the most visible beats in a larger rhythm: the ways consumers try, and often fail, to bend corporations to their will.