Belly billboards

When Gerrard Simmons realised how many times a day his pregnant fiancee was asked, "When is the baby due?" his entrepreneurial instinct kicked in. He figured she may as well get paid for the attention she was drawing.

So Julz Thomson's considerable seven-months-pregnant "bump" went up for auction on the web. . .

The bidding went 30 minutes past its deadline and closed at $255.

Throughout the five-day web event visitors to the site posted comments and requests, including one from a motelier in the Bay of Plenty who said he wanted Julz' T-shirt to read: "I got this way at Ol Alfie's motel, Mt Maunganui."

Another auction-watcher suggested a bakery could advertise with words about "more buns in ovens". . .

The auction winner was Lawrence Rauketi, who set up his customs broking business in Auckland six months ago.

He obtains customs clearance for people moving their belongings in and out of the country, and his Mailman Solutions already uses the catchphrase "The Mailman always delivers".