It's not saying the S-word that counts, but the way you say it

For M&S, apologising was a masterstroke. Not so for Drogba or the 'Standard'

The word "sorry" has been hard to escape this week. It is emblazoned in giant letters on posters and buses across London; set across a pair of breasts in bra adverts, and on newspaper back pages, courtesy of one Didier Drogba, footballer and international hothead.

London's Evening Standard newspaper set the ball rolling at the beginning of the week. Recently purchased by the Russian billionaire Alexander Lebedev and with new editor Geordie Greig poached from Tatler just installed, the capital's only paid-for paper felt it had to hold its hands up to years, in its own words, of negativity, complacency, predictability, losing touch and taking its readers for granted.

Then came Drogba's mea culpa. The Ivorian striker issued an apology the day after swearing into a television camera relaying live pictures following Chelsea's controversial exit from the European Champions League on Wednesday.

"I fully accept that the language I used did not set a good example for those watching at home, especially children," he said. "I regret that in the heat of the moment I let out my incredible frustration and disappointment in this way, and for that I apologise."

Then on Friday came Marks & Spencer's apology – of a sort. Emblazoned across a close-up picture of a pair of breasts nestling in one of the high street store's D-cups were the words "We boobed", followed by a pledge to reduce the price of their larger bras by £2.

This was in response to a campaign by more than 15,000 well-endowed ladies, who styled themselves Busts4Justice, against what they called "tit-tax". M&S had come under fire for charging more for its double-D cups, arguing that they cost more money to make.

Only M&S's apology is likely to prove a master stroke. No doubt many Chelsea fans don't feel Drogba had to apologise, but with a Uefa ban now hanging over the striker – not to mention swearing on live TV – it was probably the least he could do.

Dave Trott, creative director of the advertising firm CST, says that the Evening Standard ads are a lesson in how not to apologise.

"The ads don't even have the Evening Standard's name on them," he said. "There's just an image of Eros. At first I thought they were by Transport for London apologising for the disruption caused by the building of the new Crossrail link. It looks like the Standard's done a bit of research which has told them Londoners find them negative, and believe that if they apologise those readers will come back. They haven't seemed to think about the free papers, London Lite and thelondonpaper. I don't know why the Evening Standard should be sorry. They're assuming that we're running around upset that the Evening Standard's been ignoring us."

The M&S apology, on the other hand, is a lesson in how to do it well.

"M&S has picked up the ball and run with it," Mr Trott said. "M&S is now established as the bra place, the one place where the nation buys its underwear. That's priceless PR. They look terrible because they charge more for bigger bras, so they respond to a negative story and look good – and cash in on more free PR."