Eurovision can be an expensive business. You have to register to participate, pay the fee, and run the competition to pick your song. Then you have to think about the costs of going to a foreign city.
You need a delegation, you need costumes, you may need props. And then you need the publicity material. In days gone by this was a handsome press pack complete with CD. This promotional stuff is less necessary these days. I say all this because back in 2002, Switzerland sent today’s birthday girl Francine Jordi to Tallinn. Her press packs were better than average, and were a very good quality. Some did question therefore, why the Swiss delegation ended up giving some away at a random bus stop near the Saku Suurhall. Maybe they were flush with cash and brought so many that every member of the 2002 press corps got one – or maybe more than one. Anyway, Francine didn’t get the best result for her country and had to sit out the next year. At least it gave Swiss TV time to save up for another slew of kickass press packs.
Francine is 44 today.
Bonne anniversaire/Frohe Geburtstag/Buon compleanno, Francine!