The Inflatable Billboard – The True Story
In May 2007, Gerry McCann wrote in his blog on day 25 (link here);
“Some of you may have seen on the news the huge inflatable billboard which has travelled all the way from the West of Scotland to Portugal which will be used near busy roads/motorways to keep Madeleine’s disappearance high profile. We had a brief chat with Chris and Les, who drove almost non-stop from Glasgow to get here. The extraordinary length ordinary people are going to help us is truly overwhelming. We thank everyone for their efforts, no matter how small, and we know this will make a difference in our search for Madeleine.”
Sky News on May 28, 2007 wrote;
Also, the McCanns have met the men responsible for the 800sq-ft inflatable poster which will be taken around the Algarve and set up in prominent places.
It was the brainchild of advertising workers Chris Lennox and Les Harley from Glasgow – the home town of Madeleine’s father Gerry – who drove 2,200 miles from Scotland to help.
Mr Lennox, 35, from Prestwick said: “My heartstrings have been pulled on this and I want to help.
“I have a family with small kids and my wife has been following this from day one.”
The Guardian went further and said that Mr Lennox and Mr Harley paid for the venture;
Yesterday the McCann family visited a 75 sq metre (800 sq ft) inflatable poster of Madeleine that will be taken around the Algarve in an attempt to publicise her plight further. The poster, which highlights a £1.5m reward being offered through the News of the World, was paid for by Chris Lennox and Les Harley, two advertising professionals from Glasgow, who drove it 2,200 miles from Scotland to Praia da Luz.In a statement read out near the poster, the McCanns said they were amazed by the support they has received. “We have thanked everyone on several occasions but, you know, some people are just going to absolutely extraordinary lengths to help us,” the statement said.
McCann Spin
The story sounds like Chris and Les drove all the way to Portugal through their own efforts to help the McCanns. It really does sound like they went to extraordinary lengths to help.
But what really happened?
We can reveal on Truth For Madeleine that Chris and Les were simply doing their job. The inflatable billboard was not the brainchild of Mr Lennox or Mr Harley and the pair of them didn’t pay for it either.
So how did it come about?
No surprises for guessing but it was engineered by John McCann – Gerry’s brother.
Mr Amaral has already exposed the McCanns for manipulating the politicians and media and here again is a prime example of a story that was presented to the world in a completely different way to the reality of the situation.
John McCann - Gerry McCann's older brother
Posters Plus Media
Gavin Hollywood, Managing Director of Posters Plus Media informed us of the details of the venture;
“I supported the McCanns with some digital advertising in the UK and was approached by Gerry’s brother John about the possibility of helping with a high profile campaign at the height of the situation where time & awareness was essential. Within 5 days we had arranged the trip, logistics, printing and arranged staff to travel to Portugal (Chris & Les) with Carol-Anne Thomson our Campaigns Manager coordinating the campaign from our office and communicating with various authorities.
“The van, drivers and all equipment left from Posterplus Head Office in Kilmaurs Ayrshire. The trip took 3 full days traveling across the UK into France, Spain and finally Portugal. Various drivers change overs were made over the 3 days along with an overnight in France. Actual travel & campaign specific dates we would need to look back but it was May 07 and the full trip lasted 13 days in total.
“We used a standard transit van with lots of spare equipment in case of any difficulties in a foreign country, the set up & inflation for the Megasite is just over 1 hour.
“The billboard, Chris & Les the operators, travel, logistics, permits etc were all paid for and donated by Posterplus Media Group, the large printed poster with the reward details was kindly donated by Tayprint in Dundee. The News of The World was approached to use the copy details only of the reward and no funding or sponsors were involved in the trip, it was a donation & media facility offered by Gavin Hollywood Managing Director of Posterplus Media Group.
“The media cost for this type of campaign in the UK would have been £20,000+”
December 10th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
ok not being rude here but u do not leave a 3 year old child in a room with there brother and sister alone like with my mom if we were in strange place order pizza and wine drink it in the aparment but you don’t do that like really guys and have your friends over if they did that than she would still be here safe and not missing we don’t even know if she alive like it been years so none knows i have a feeling she isn’t but if she is i hope she gets found
January 23rd, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Why were the parents never charged with neglect for leaving these children alone by themselves while they went to dinner. What kind of parents are they? This is wrong? The child missing is their fault make them pay!
May 1st, 2012 at 4:03 pm
You say the parents should pay? Do you not think they are paying for it every hour of every day that their little girl is missing! Yes they left there children alone and that was wrong but they realise that now and i am sure if they could they would go back in time and change it but unfortunatly like many mistakes they cannot be changed. No body can change the past but instead of being negative and blaming Mr and Mrs McCann people would be better putting there efforts into supporting them with the search. Everyday Madaline is thought about all over the world and I pray that one day she is found and reunited with her family.
Site Admin: Have you ever seen the McCanns searching for their daughter? If you ever find a photograph or article showing the McCanns searching for their daughter then please send us the information as soon as possible so we can post it. Actually your task will be next to impossible. Kate has already stated that they didn’t look for their daughter on the night she went missing. Perhaps Madeleine’s body was in the blue tennis bag in the bedroom – the blue tennis bag that we can all see in police photographs but that Gerry McCann denied ever owning.
May 3rd, 2012 at 6:53 am
Well I think the nasty comment about make them pay is totally wrong, they have suffered enough already, I personally think she was kidnapped and sold for money like the little blond boy of three who disappeared on Kos some 15 to 20 years ago.
May 3rd, 2012 at 11:44 am
What a ridiculous thing to say. They may have made a mistake but they are paying the highest price ever imaginable to any parent.
Site admin: So are you saying that all killers pay a high price and so therefore must be innocent? What a ridiculous piece of logic.
May 3rd, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Have to agree with people above me, who in their right minds would leave young children alone ANYWHERE , let alone in a foreign country, also have to say that the Mcanns dinner guests should feel totally ashamed for not taking this matter up with the Mcanns.
Site admin: The parents probably didn’t leave their children but that’s the story they want you to believe. Everyone since May 2007 has been discussing that aspect rather than assuming the parents are lying and so therefore the story about leaving children is the lesser of two evils. While everyone has been discussing whether it is appropriate to leave children on their own and distance from the restaurant etc., the reality may be nothing like that. In other words, the leave-kids-unattended story was a cover story for what really happened.
May 4th, 2012 at 6:46 am
It was highly irresponsible of Gerry and Kate McCann to have left their little daughter along with her even littler siblings, whilst they partied outside with their friends. It is surprising that the parents have not been charged with neglect. On the contrary, they have acquired celebrity status and are taking leverage from this. Yes, they are already paying for this neglect – I suppose. Unless, if I am to believe what I have read, that Madeline may have already been dead in the apartment before the McCanns left for their party bash. It is all a mystery. However, there are thousands of children lost and nobody bothers. What is it with Maddie that so much media attention is being given? Or are the parents manipulating the situation to the maximum and making money out of this whole story??
May 6th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
I totaly agree with above coments. I have NO sympathy at all for the parents its THEIR fault. They should have been charged with leaving her and the rest of their children alone. They are NOT fit parents. I would NEVER leave my children alone in our own home never mind in a foreign country. SHAME on them both.
May 9th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
i undertand everyones point of views but ‘charge them with neglect’ hm i think theyve suffered worse than a charge..
Site admin: So are you saying that if you kill a loved one then because you are suffering anyway you shouldn’t face any criminal charges? How crazy is that?
May 10th, 2012 at 7:08 am
who knows what happend but all i know is that she was loved and that who ever did it shouldedt be free to walk around freely to do it again to another family
May 17th, 2012 at 8:24 am
bad choice to leave ur child unattended. should be charged for neglect.
May 20th, 2012 at 10:38 am
Omg it’s been so long since maddie has been gone.I really hope they find her,but I do agree leaving there children in a room on their own that’s called neglect.
July 6th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
REMEMBER THE VICTIM! Madeleine is still missing. They can charge the parents with whatever once her body-dead or alive is found. Keep eyes out looking for this child. don’t worry about what is going to happen to the adults involved with this case!