Name: Guinness World Records responds to criticism: You cant buy a record
Uploaded: 2025-11-03T01:07:06.406Z
Duration: 1 min 54 s
Description: Craig Glenday, the editor of Guinness World Records for the past 21 years, responds to criticism that the book has traded authenticity for PR stunts.

Craig Glenday, the editor of Guinness World Records for the past 21 years, responds to criticism that the book has traded authenticity for PR stunts.

London

Guinness World Records, marking its 70th anniversary, has responded to criticism regarding its commercial ventures and partnerships with companies. Representatives clarified that while the organization now offers consultancy and event adjudication services, this does not allow companies to buy their way into the record books.

The organization stressed that all records, whether individual or commercial, are subject to the same rigorous investigation and standards. Guinness World Records also highlighted its evolving global role, noting that in some regions, particularly in the Far East, it is increasingly seen as a mark of business excellence.

Guinness World Records responds to criticism: 'You can't buy a record'

So Guinness World Records, I mean it's 70 years old, and for a good chunk of that, 50 years, was purely book sales. And the problem now, I suppose, is the internet, the competition for kids' attention with video games, streaming music and TV. And we have had to find, as a commercial entity, different ways of exploiting the name and the brand, and how do we keep going for the next 70 years. And what we found is, like any business, if you get an opportunity, you go with it. So we've developed the consultancy business, which means now, if you're a company, you want to do a team-building exercise, you can have us come to your event and we'll adjudicate for you. But what it doesn't do is it doesn't guarantee you're getting the book, because you can't buy a record, you can't buy your way into the book. Well, you know, critics say that you've sold out, you've traded authenticity for these giant PR stunts, backed by companies for big branded world records. Is there any truth to that? No, absolutely not, because it hasn't stopped, you know, if you've grown the biggest tomato plant, we'll still accept your record, you don't have to pay us for it. If you want our logo on your product, then yeah, that's a different matter. If you've got the world's most efficient chainsaw and you want our logo on your chainsaw, then yeah, you can pay us a fee for that. So it'll be investigated and researched like any other record holder would be. What's happened is that that idea has grown exponentially, it's huge now, it's all around the world, and people are seeing the value in that, and we mean different things, interestingly, as well. So in the Far East, we are known as a mark of business excellence. So they're less interested over there in doing, you know, the sausage swallowing and the juggling, but they want their commercial records to be identified by us and celebrated, and of course we'll do that. www.larryweaver.com

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