What's with all the Anti-Arthur Day campaign ?

crusher000

Okay this seems to be building more and more. So let me say 1. I am a drinker and 2. I have never celebrated Arthurs Day.

Christy Moore and The WaterBoys have brought out seperate songs against Arthur Day. Yes it's a marketing ploy but hay if you have a product and you want to sell what else would you do ?. Lie in a ditch and wait for someone to come along and buy your product ? Germany is famous for it's beerfests and they go on for a week at a time but that's okay. Like it or not if tourists give reasons why the visit Ireland one of the reasons will be to drink the Guiness. Not all tourists come here for that but some do. The day can get messy and we've seen the pictures in the paper and clips on youtube.


So why the big campaign now against Guiness ?

Hande hoche!

Viral marketing by Diageo.

lahalane

Recession is over. Need something new to whinge about.

D1stant

No one is holding any guns to people heads

People in Ireland will get drunk to celebrate 2 flies crawling up a wall. If Christy Moore has an issue - it is with his fanbase. The discontent with Diageo is a smokescreen

mike65

We're fighting "the man" well Christy is and he's been doing that for about 45 years.

I think people are just getting tired of companies invading our space (public and private) and then branding it. Arthur's Day is the most high profile example in this country.

Dravokivich

It's a yearly thing, people want to seem like they aren't taken in by an advertising campaign and show that they are stronger then everyone else who falls for it.

It's easy to keep away from them and they are generally only around for a week to one and a half weeks.

COYW

If people don't like it, then why don't they just ignore it? The anti-Arthur campaign is bringing more and more attention onto the day itself.

crusher000

Maybe I'm outside of their demographic and don't get drawn in. I have to say hat's off to them for marketing and I have work on a Friday so it's the main reason I don't go for it. One or two pints no good to me.

wuzziwig

Would Crusty and Mike Scott be looking to inject a new lease of life into their flagging careers, I wonder?

OldNotWIse

D1stant wrote: »

No one is holding any guns to people heads

People in Ireland will get drunk to celebrate 2 flies crawling up a wall. If Christy Moore has an issue - it is with his fanbase. The discontent with Diageo is a smokescreen

so true

whiskeyman

If it takes 750 years for the water in Ballygown to be filtered through calcium-enriched limestone, I think they should market a similar themed day to celebrate this fact.
Call it 'Calcium-Enriched Limestone Day', and have everyone toast a pint of Ballygowns finest!
To Calcium Enriched Limestone!!



That'll cut the A&E admissions that day...

awec

If it's not your thing then just ignore it.

Some people just like to whinge I guess.

sillysmiles

I've never before gone out for Arthur's Day but I am seriously considering it this because some people/media are making such a big deal about it. Surely Arthur's Day is the real life equivalent of if you don't like it, or it doesn't interest you, just scroll on by.

Dartz

It's not really a very subtle viral marketing campaign either but I don't give a ****. Cheap Guinness.

To Arthur! Cause of, and solution to, all of Ireland's problems

Savoir.Faire

I don't need a slickly marketed faux celebration as an excuse to go drinking. The incredible urges and lack of will power sort that out for me.

Wattle

A lot of ex-alcoholics turn hardline when they quit. It's a kind of defense mechanism. Maybe their objecting to the further normalisation of binge drinking in a society that already suffers badly from it's effects.

gobnaitolunacy

crusher000 wrote: »

Germany is famous for it's beerfests and they go on for a week at a time but that's okay.

German beerfests usually feature more than one beer from one brewer.

Brego888

It's like paddy's day without the kids.
What's not to like

run_Forrest_run

While I don't like this Arthur's day I also wouldn't be bothered getting stressed out about it, it's a marketing scam and those who get caught up in it are fools, leave them off.

Crusty Moore is a nazi now against the drink, just cos he can't handle it.
A lot of people can drink and enjoy it responsibly, just because he can't that's his problem. He should write a song about getting to the root of his problem and spare the rest of us his angst.

michael.dublin

Arthur Day just like christmas day comes along every year :-)

crusher000

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

German beerfests usually feature more than one beer from one brewer.

So the difference is it's multiple marketing.

run_Forrest_run

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

German beerfests usually feature more than one beer from one brewer.

Yes, but here in Ireland, with oktoberfest beag you can only get Paulaner, jointly owned by Heineken.

Czarcasm

I'm beginning to wonder how much Diageo paid Christy and The Waterboys to brew up a storm about it. There's another 364 days of the year you never hear from either of them!

Howard Juneau

I think the emergency services aren't overly keen on Arthur's day. They get a huge increase in drunken idiots needing ambulances & taking up space in A&E.
That's the only tangible problem imo

rob316

I like a drink as much as the next but I can see why there is an Anti- Arthurs day crusade.
With all the **** alcohol brings do we need to be celebrating it considering we constantly abuse it as a nation weekly.

gobnaitolunacy

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

Yes, but here in Ireland, with oktoberfest beag you can only get Paulaner, jointly owned by Heineken.

I meant German beerfests in ze Fatherland.:P

Franticfrank

Don't tell Christy Oktoberfest just started. Seriously, as someone else just pointed out, Germans have beerfests all the time. There's stuff like "World Astra Day" in Hamburg involving shameless advertising and everyone just goes out and gets hammered. How come when we do it, it's a big problem? If you're not interested, just stay at home!

rob316

Franticfrank wrote: »

Don't tell Christy Oktoberfest just started. Seriously, as someone else just pointed out, Germans have beerfests all the time. There's stuff like "World Astra Day" in Hamburg involving shameless advertising and everyone just goes out and gets hammered. How come when we do it, it's a big problem? If you're not interested, just stay at home!

They do but they seem to be able to cut themselves off too and not abuse it continually. There is families of closest alcoholics in this country all needing a drink to get through there day and they see nothing wrong with it.

Germans can do past times that don't surround alcohol there is literally **** all for a young person to do here that doesn't surround alcohol. I have a recovering partner and friend both in there late 20's who tell me the same constantly.

FatherLen

What I find really stupid is the people that claim that anyone that drinks on arthurs day are getting duped somehow.....
The vast majority of us drink every weekend and guess what, most of what we drink is owned by diageo.
Arthurs day is a bit of craic where instead of drinking a few products from diageo, we drink one.

run_Forrest_run

rob316 wrote: »

They do but they seem to be able to cut themselves off too and not abuse it continually. There is families of closest alcoholics in this country all needing a drink to get through there day and they see nothing wrong with it.

Germans can do past times that don't surround alcohol there is literally **** all for a young person to do here that doesn't surround alcohol. I have a recovering partner and friend both in there late 20's who tell me the same constantly.

ah that's BS, there is plenty of things to do in this country that doesn't involve booze, sounds like those people are too lazy to get up and do it for themselves. Hill walking, trekking, cycling etc.
Granted there often tends to be a 'retire to the pub' mentality after the events but this is changing, changing slow perhaps but it is changing.

Sciprio

It's a gimmick and diageo are rubbing their hands with glee.

irish_goat

Wonder how much profit Diageo export out of Ireland every year?

Reekwind

crusher000 wrote: »

Yes it's a marketing ploy but hay if you have a product and you want to sell what else would you do ?. Lie in a ditch and wait for someone to come along and buy your product ?

Apparently it's either that or launch an incredibly crass campaign to create a new holiday. I'd like to think though that there's a bit of middle ground between the two

'Arthur's Day' is as artificial an event as the Simpsons' 'Love Day'; the latter is played for laughs but apparently in Ireland we've no problem with a multinational simply inventing a new occasion. All's fair if they get to flog their wares, eh?

Personally I look forward to the day when the cash-for-gold shops band together to launch 'Leprechaun Day', in which we are all encouraged to dress up and dig out any old jewellery for the pawnbrokers. I'm sure the tourists would love to see that

Germany is famous for it's beerfests and they go on for a week at a time but that's okay

And they have been ongoing for centuries, typically as local celebrations. Munich's Oktoberfest, for example, has its roots in a royal wedding in 1810. Amazingly, it is possible for an annual event to develop without needing a marketing department to invent it

ShagNastii

People aren't against all the people that fall into "Sure I can go out and have few drinks socially and don't need nannying".

It's the louts drinking themselves into a state(especially on days like this). Fighting, puking, p*ssing and sh*ting all over the streets.

How do we deal with these people?

All well with the "it's all a bit of craic" but images painted of A&E after such binges are sickening. So much crap landing into the laps of Nurses, Doctors and Bouncers. Our hospitals have it bad enough without having to put up with and babysit Ireland's alcoholics.

wil

whiskeyman wrote: »

If it takes 750 years for the water in Ballygown to be filtered through calcium-enriched limestone, I think they should market a similar themed day to celebrate this fact.
Call it 'Calcium-Enriched Limestone Day', and have everyone toast a pint of Ballygowns finest!
To Calcium Enriched Limestone!!



That'll cut the A&E admissions that day...

So thats one Calcium-Enriched Limestone on the rocks for you;)

sláinte

Dermighty

whiskeyman wrote: »

If it takes 750 years for the water in Ballygown to be filtered through calcium-enriched limestone, I think they should market a similar themed day to celebrate this fact.
Call it 'Calcium-Enriched Limestone Day', and have everyone toast a pint of Ballygowns finest!
To Calcium Enriched Limestone!!



That'll cut the A&E admissions that day...

An ironic suggestion given your username

Busted Flat.

Get lost Crusty, three cheers for Arthur.

AnonoBoy

National Shove It Up Me Hoop Day more like.

Am I right? Huh? Wha? Who's With Me?

Can I get a whhaaaaat??

Hoop!

Yeah.

What are we talking about again?

raven136

wuzziwig wrote: »

Would Crusty and Mike Scott be looking to inject a new lease of life into their flagging careers, I wonder?

A quick look at Christy's gig page and the sold out signs for most gigs would seem to say he doesnt need to boost his career.

Christy has always been this type of person,supporting the Dun Laoighaire Baths,playing concerts in his hometown to raise funds for the local homeless shelter,afri etc

Whether you like his music or not,its just good to see that there is still performers that like to do their bit for something they support.

This being Ireland if people like him were not involved then some would bash them for being locked away celebs

crusher000

Reekwind wrote: »

Apparently it's either that or launch an incredibly crass campaign to create a new holiday. I'd like to think though that there's a bit of middle ground between the two

'Arthur's Day' is as artificial an event as the Simpsons' 'Love Day'; the latter is played for laughs but apparently in Ireland we've no problem with a multinational simply inventing a new occasion. All's fair if they get to flog their wares, eh?

Personally I look forward to the day when the cash-for-gold shops band together to launch 'Leprechaun Day', in which we are all encouraged to dress up and dig out any old jewellery for the pawnbrokers. I'm sure the tourists would love to see that

And they have been ongoing for centuries, typically as local celebrations. Munich's Oktoberfest, for example, has its roots in a royal wedding in 1810. Amazingly, it is possible for an annual event to develop without needing a marketing department to invent it

Well while we're on about crass campaigns creating holidays lets look at Christmas, Valentines and Easter to pick but a few , Didn't see much about Easter eggs or cards in the bible with two of the above, but bombarded with advertising, Christmas adverts started already and all that cheap booze buying before Christmas Day where is Christie's song about this. I'm not defending Diageo but it's okay for some to make a buck on holidays, they create a new day and we're all rightgeous. As for alcohol and past times in Ireland, I was at a showjumping event recently in Germany guess what I could get in abundance , yes alcohol and lot's off it everywhere (lock up the kids jaysus) went to a take away out there that night at 2:00 am in the morning guess what I could buy ? Alcohol bottled (in glass not plastic) or on draught. But then the Germans are mature and we're not. That's why we have to lock our drink away in our cabinets at home in case the children sample it and turn into drink raving pyschos.

hawkwind23

some of the comments about christy moore and mike scott are hateful and really reflect the scum mindset of those who make the snipes.

both are talented musicians having presence for over 50 years each in the music industry.

hey snipers , have you been at the top of your games for so long?
or do you just make cheap shots at folk along the way?

pathetic


on the subject of arthurs day , ill take the few free pints and a bit of music , other than that , you can stick arthurs day up your arse

kneemos

crusher000 wrote: »

Okay this seems to be building more and more. So let me say 1. I am a drinker and 2. I have never celebrated Arthurs Day.

Christy Moore and The WaterBoys have brought out seperate songs against Arthur Day. Yes it's a marketing ploy but hay if you have a product and you want to sell what else would you do ?. Lie in a ditch and wait for someone to come along and buy your product ? Germany is famous for it's beerfests and they go on for a week at a time but that's okay. Like it or not if tourists give reasons why the visit Ireland one of the reasons will be to drink the Guiness. Not all tourists come here for that but some do. The day can get messy and we've seen the pictures in the paper and clips on youtube.


So why the big campaign now against Guiness ?

The marketing of it as a national holiday.

awec

hawkwind23 wrote: »

some of the comments about christy moore and mike scott are hateful and really reflect the scum mindset of those who make the snipes.

both are talented musicians having presence for over 50 years each in the music industry.

hey snipers , have you been at the top of your games for so long?
or do you just make cheap shots at folk along the way?

pathetic


on the subject of arthurs day , ill take the few free pints and a bit of music , other than that , you can stick arthurs day up your arse

I think you've missed the point completely. Moore couldn't handle the drink, he needs to realise that not everyone is incapable of handling it.

He should stick to singing his wee country tunes, and leave the attention seeking nonsense out of it.

Jester252

Arthur Day is just the weekly winge this week. Last week video games. They just need anything to keep them going until the 15 of October and they'll have a field day. If the government taxed wingers and moaners we would make bank

everlast75

I would have thought the objection in this Country was about the fact that Guinness is no longer truly 'an Irish' drink??

hawkwind23

awec wrote: »

I think you've missed the point completely. Moore couldn't handle the drink, he needs to realise that not everyone is incapable of handling it.

He should stick to singing his wee country tunes, and leave the attention seeking nonsense out of it.

cretinous comment!

as far as i know he has admitted alcoholism.

i dont think i need to document the tragedy that such a disease can inflict on a person and their loved ones.

so he has a different view on the drinking culture in ireland and decides to voice his opinions, whats wrong with that?

is it because his opinion doesnt agree with yours?
50 years of his talent brushed aside because he voices an opinion?

wow!

wolfpawnat

Because we celebrate it as a national day, a day of getting drunk for no reason whatsoever! We have no national day of some kind for the things that matter in our history. We get stupid comments about the "Drunken Irish" which we try to dismiss, then we make a day like this. Nothing wrong with having a few at a weekend or the like, but a national day to a drinks company that are no longer even based in Ireland? It is great to have music and the like promoted, but it shouldn't be by making ourselves seem like absolute alcoholics.

I for one am sick of A&E's being riddled in stupidly drunk people wasting very valuable resources, and I am sick of the dirty "Drunken Irish" comments by some.

tin79

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Because we celebrate it as a national day, a day of getting drunk for no reason whatsoever! We have no national day of some kind for the things that matter in our history. We get stupid comments about the "Drunken Irish" which we try to dismiss, then we make a day like this. Nothing wrong with having a few at a weekend or the like, but a national day to a drinks company that are no longer even based in Ireland? It is great to have music and the like promoted, but it shouldn't be by making ourselves seem like absolute alcoholics.

I for one am sick of A&E's being riddled in stupidly drunk people wasting very valuable resources, and I am sick of the dirty "Drunken Irish" comments by some.

You seem angry

Busted Flat.

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Because we celebrate it as a national day, a day of getting drunk for no reason whatsoever! We have no national day of some kind for the things that matter in our history. We get stupid comments about the "Drunken Irish" which we try to dismiss, then we make a day like this. Nothing wrong with having a few at a weekend or the like, but a national day to a drinks company that are no longer even based in Ireland? It is great to have music and the like promoted, but it shouldn't be by making ourselves seem like absolute alcoholics.

I for one am sick of A&E's being riddled in stupidly drunk people wasting very valuable resources, and I am sick of the dirty "Drunken Irish" comments by some.

Spoilsport

Reekwind

crusher000 wrote: »

Well while we're on about crass campaigns creating holidays lets look at Christmas, Valentines and Easter to pick but a few , Didn't see much about Easter eggs or cards in the bible with two of the above, but bombarded with advertising, Christmas adverts started already and all that cheap booze buying before Christmas Day where is Christie's song about this

Have you never sat through a mass about the commercialisation of Christmas or read a paper bemoaning the cost of Easter or Valentines? Those are exactly the sort of conversations that happen; albeit often from an awful moralising standpoint. Arthur's Day is this process taken to a new level: actually inventing a new holiday

The fact that Coca-Cola and Hallmark have effectively reshaped those ancient holidays (and Chaucer was writing about Valentines long before the invention of the greeting card) shouldn't give every other company licence to do the same. Otherwise every weekend will become 'Buy X Day'

Essentially it boils down to a company creating what should be a natural/organic development. If people had spontaneously started gathering around to drink Guinness on the 26 Sept, then fine. But the idea of a national holiday being dreamt up on a flipchart in a boardroom... that's not right. It's an attempt to fabricate a national holiday and commercialise just a little bit more of the nation's public space

As for alcohol and past times in Ireland, I was at a showjumping event recently in Germany guess what I could get in abundance , yes alcohol and lot's off it everywhere (lock up the kids jaysus) went to a take away out there that night at 2:00 am in the morning guess what I could buy ? Alcohol bottled (in glass not plastic) or on draught. But then the Germans are mature and we're not. That's why we have to lock our drink away in our cabinets at home in case the children sample it and turn into drink raving pyschos.

I'm not fussed about drinking habits per se but a festival that does nothing but promote Guinness? Is that really needed in Ireland? We've hard enough time shaking off that stereotype of the drunken bogger as it is

Mind you, reading some of the comments in this thread (particularly those regarding Moore) and you've got to figure that maybe there is a mental gap between the Germans and the Irish. Perhaps we get the 'holidays' we deserve

Busted Flat.

everlast75 wrote: »

I would have thought the objection in this Country was about the fact that Guinness is no longer truly 'an Irish' drink??

What product in this country is truly Irish ?. Apart from beef.