Man with the mobile codpiece

It has been years since Richard Branson produced a hit in the US market. The British entrepreneur to blame for introducing Culture Club’s Boy George to American shores has had a string of misses since his early success with Virgin Records. His mobile phone venture, Virgin Mobile, is shaping up as the latest. It’s not for lack of trying. A decade ago, Branson rode a tank into Times Square to publicise Virgin Cola’s attack on Coke and Pepsi. Americans never acquired a taste for the soda - though ...