If you happened to be at the Trafford Centre that day, wouldn't it be obvious that the teams are filming for the Apprentice? I realise not everyone is aware of the show or its format, but wouldn't you question all the cameras?

I wonder how many sales are just down to people wanting to be on TV and featuring on an episode as a customer?

i wouldn't buy a £300 dress made of old ties - just cos it's a tv show!!!

There were many cheaper items. All I'm saying is that all their promotional activity aside, just being an apprentice episode is going to attract some people in.

In the same vein, I guess some customers could be put off by the presence of the cameras.

Apparently its against the rules for the customers to actually know what's being filmed, and the candidates aren't allowed to use that as a bargaining tool. Still, it would be hard to know it wasn't the apprentice with Nick or Karren in the background.

Adam Hosker from S3 claimed that rule was the case - and that Simon Ambrose was able to sell one of the Lips photographs in the art task using the bargaining chip the OP effectively described.

http://www.thecoolmarkwebsite.co.uk/adamhosker/

"When Simon sold the lips photo I was very impressed, when we got back to the house I asked him how he had done it, he admitted that he had moved his microphone so the production team couldn't hear him and told the guy it would be a great investment because once the show aired and people saw the work it would go up in value and to just put the money on his credit card and sell it on e-bay once the programme aired and make some profit. Completely against the rules, people were not allowed to know what we were filming and we were strictly forbidden from using the camera crew as a negotiating tool, but desperate times call for desperate measures"

I wonder if Chris used the same technique with the sewn together tie and cloth dress?

I ntthink the impact is massive in my view. Would you buy sausages from a bunch of tw*ts off the street if you didnt see 20 cameras behind them? I wish we could see a hidden camera version, you would see a lot more short shrift from members of the public i'd imagine

I'm sure it has an influence, but it will be equal for both teams so it has no real bearing on the final result.

to apprentice guru
has anyone else written a similar diary
I find it excellent,.

Well, Dr. Sophie Kain (also from S3) kept something of a diary and a blog on the episodes after she was fired. Not as detailed as Adam's though. Here it is:

http://www.sugarkain.co.uk/apprenticeseries3.html

Lohit (again S3) has a more detailed account on his website.

http://www.lohitkalburgi.com/#/the-a...ice/4522204485

Other than that, though, I haven't been able to find accounts from any of the other ex-candidates. I wish there were some more though. Then again, complications over the contract would probably arise if there were.

The point about it affecting both teams equally is fair. In terms of number of sales. But if one team is flogging higher-price items then it may just favour that team.

The tasks are too heavily biased towards sales. But I suppose tele-conferencing and emails don't make good TV. I'd rather see a prat dressed as an oven or an eejit sucking at a shower pipe. Class!

didnt some of the candidates post on blogs. A Scottish girl I remember,. do any still do.

In a previous series of the Apprentice, There was a task where they had to lease out high performance cars for a day.

It was opposite where I work so I wandered down for a look had a chat with one of the girls, got the obligatory sales pitch but decided it was not for me.


I had no inkling it was for the Apprentice although the TV cameras were there I just assumed the car lease company was filming it as part of their advertising.

It may have been different because this was outdoors and you did get the odd film crew at this particular location from time to time, but in general I suspect most people don't know they are taking part in the filming of the Apprentice.

I think I saw the next years candidates filming outside Westfield shopping centre in West Londo 4 weeks ago.

They had this mobile unit, uniform and were selling this mobile experience. Couldnt remember what it was but it was sort of like this wizardry stuff, they didnt make it obvious so thats why I doubted it but I think it was them

If they see Nick, Margaret or Karren they do. A number of people saw filming, recognised Nick and snapped them on their mobile. The sausage task, bakery, Trafford centre and last year's baby show were all found on Twitter that way.

As the Trafford Centre has it's own video unit, people are used to seeing them about. Likewise in the street, you'd think local news perhaps, commercial video, promo, etc. It's only if you recognise someone or you hear someone shout 'action' would you pay much attention.

It's a little bit like the way certain ghosties always seem to manifest when they know there's a possibility that their 'tappings' might eventually be aired on Most Haunted (as was)....once the final edit is in the can!!

Seriously though...

Does the general public's awareness of 'The Apprentice' in any way influence their inclination to try and interact with it's contestants and their given sales mission.....even to the point of making purchases they otherwise wouldn't make if they were accosted by certain members of The Apprentice sales force?

Please place me a large tick in the 'yes/absolutely' column.

:sleep:

I saw the series 4 apprentices when they were at the wedding show a few years ago and bought some wedding flip flops off Lee!!

People knew it was the apprentice being filmed plus we saw Nick!!

In this case they were there for most of the day and If Nick / Magaret showed up they certainly weren't there when I was talking to the Apprentice.

A mate of mine was in this week's episode at the Trafford Centre, trying on the recycled waistcoat thing, and then resisting Paloma's pressure selling! He was as surprised as anyone to be on there - he said that he hadn't even noticed the cameras filming him, and he certainly didn't know that the shop was connected to The Apprentice at all.

That's interesting - suppose someone objects to being screened without their explicit consent? I thought obtaining consent before screening was essential these days.

Yeah, I was just wondering about that. A friend of mine got set up on one of those hidden camera shows and as soon as the stunt was over, people were rushing over to her to get her to sign forms saying it was ok to broadcast.

I had to google the name Adam Hosker to remind me who he was and although I now recognise his face, I still can't think of anything he did in his series.

Funny how they are "must see" TV for two or three months and then quickly forgotten.

As for it being filmed for "The Apprentice" making a difference to sales, I would say it must do. Often the candidates come over as so clueless that people must realise it is for a TV show. Even if they don't recognise anyone (which they wouldn't at that stage unless they see Nick or Karen), they must consider the fact that it is not just a bunch of people going about their normal jobs and trying to make a living.

It's only their ages that stop people thinking it is a school project.


If you want to ask him if he films porn, just say so

I remember Adam well as being Katie's main punching bag in S3 - but he was also a good salesman and negotiator, if not such a good PM. His account, although it is slightly discoloured by the fact he puffs himself up a bit, is insightful and does raise questions about what goes on behind the scenes.

I started reading it, but am not a big fan of blogs. I much prefer a proper book.

Although it's probably written into their contracts that a book is out of the question, it would be a great read.

I do wonder how they all deal with one another when not on the tasks. Do they all eat together, who never so much as makes a cup of tea etc.

I think as long as something happens in a public area it's ok - I am a photographer and from what I gather public domain is ok - but in someone's house or in a private area you would need permission.

After all if you do something in public anyone present can see it.

It's something like that, anyway...

Remember though that we're seeing their stupidity continuously, whereas an unsuspecting member of the public only really comes into contact with them for seconds or minutes at most, so they're much less likely to think that the candidates are totally out of their depth.