Harry Potter as unusual marketing ploy

[anita_hillin]

My work colleague and I were listening to the Chicago classical music 
station yesterday, and an ad came on the air which began, "Before 
Harry Potter, before The Wizard of Oz, before Lord of the Rings, there 
was Gilbert and Sullivan."  

Well... I guess it's hard to argue with that, but we were a bit 
mystified.  It went on to advertise The Sorcerer, which I admit I 
don't know among the pantheon of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas.  
However, my colleague said it has pretty much nothing to do with Harry 
Potter, and we both decided it's one of the bigger stretches to get a 
Harry Potter tie-in.  That said, it got our attention...

akh, who always perks up when the words "Harry" and "Potter" are 
strung together