Automakers are getting ever more inventive with the literature they package with new vehicles. In the U.K., we saw the guide to Britain's tiny roads that came free with Volkswagen's compact Up! car. Now, here's a more rugged offering from Land Rover in Dubai—a survival guide created by Y&R that explains the basics of staying alive in the Arabian Desert, and is actually edible, just in case you find yourself in truly dire circumstances. "Scorching temperatures, deadly animals and sinkholes are just a few things they might encounter," says the agency. "We researched every indigenous animal and plant that people could encounter in the Arabian Desert and how they could be used to survive. We studied the topography of the region to guide people to safety. We used a reflective packaging similar to army rations, which could be used to signal for help, and bound the book with a metal spiral, which could be used for cooking. Finally, we even took an extra step so that in case of emergency, people could always EAT the book. It was made out of edible ink and paper, and it had a nutritional value close to that of a cheeseburger." The book was sent to 5,000 existing Land Rover customers, given away to new customers as a supplement to the owner's manual, and made freely available in sports shops. The only thing missing, really, is a cyanide pill. The lawyers probably objected.
