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

hatrickpatrick

cloudatlas wrote: »

Jameson hold a film festival every year. At no point am I near alcohol nor do I feel coerced into buying a Jameson even though I like Jameson very much, but if you're going to hold music events in pubs and not in an arena drink will be present and close by. Holding a toast at a certain time makes people feel that they have to get a Guinness for the toast as we can see by pictures and videos of the event. We are programmed to respond to social conventions like toasts. I'd like to think of the Arthur's day people as brainless monkeys rather than mindless zombies.

One of my mates toasted Arthur last night with a glass of coke because he had to drive home later that night and had come out not for the booze but because it was a fun reunion of our friends, some of whom were just home after being away for the summer.
My point is, nobody is forced to do anything on Arthur's Day, and if people don't have the self control to resist peer pressure they're probably not even old enough to be in the pub anyway!

C14N

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

This is the fallacy - how is advertising being used to "make" anyone drink anything?
All of these arguments essentially imply that your average punter is a mindless zombie who unquestioningly obeys everything he or she sees on TV. I for one find that kind of argument insulting - Diageo didn't "make" me do anything I don't want to do last night. Unless they've found some way to remotely program people's brains, suggesting that advertising "makes" people do anything is to imply that people don't think with their own minds.

You're oversimplifying. Seeing an ad doesn't trigger a switch in your brain that makes you think "I need Guinness", it works on a subconscious level. There's also the element of mob-mentality. Diego have done a decent job in the run up each year to make it look like "hey, everyone is going out for Arthur's Day" which kind of causes a coercion factor. If you're a student for example, you don't just stay in on Arthur's Day, everyone will think you're a massive dry sh!te.

Most people think they are immune to the influences of advertising and that their decisions are made completely by themselves and yet all of these major companies spend billions on it each year.

meemeemee wrote: »

What's wrong with sheeple ?

You find them in plenty of places. In sleeping bags outside the Apple store in the queue for the iPhone 9. Watching X Factor in tears as some kid, who was bullied at school, his mam died, and he currently has cancer, wails a Boyzone B side, whilst carefully edited shots of Simon Cowell's jaw drops in slow motion. Faithfully executing the "traditions of Arthurs Day ...

http://xkcd.com/610/

Amerika

With all the sales Guinness enjoys over here, they couldn't send a little of that Arthur Day love to this side of the pond?

meemeemee

It's Arthurs Day ?

And another fellow Toasted Arthur ?

Will people celebrate Arthurs Day and Toast Arthur, when Diego decide the day does not exist anymore and sponsor extreme sports as it is a opportunity for consumers in the target demographic to sample the product in a brand specific environment, with a raft of brand extensions ready for roll out ?

cloudatlas

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

One of my mates toasted Arthur last night with a glass of coke because he had to drive home later that night and had come out not for the booze but because it was a fun reunion of our friends, some of whom were just home after being away for the summer.
My point is, nobody is forced to do anything on Arthur's Day, and if people don't have the self control to resist peer pressure they're probably not even old enough to be in the pub anyway!

It's psychology and social behaviour 101, you're at a wedding someone says there's a toast what do you do? I don't equate it with peer pressure as it doesn't make me feel anxious. I secretly admire their marketing department they are quite the evil genius's. Well done to your friend but there are pictures and videos of people of all ages holding drink aloft for a toast to Arthur and if he hadn't been driving I bet he would have joined them.

humanji

Lorelai Inexpensive Catapult wrote: »

Whats wrong with having a reason to drink? Yes you can go out any night you wish and I know I certainly don't need any excuse to go drinking but having a day like this gets lots of people out at the same time, which makes for a better atmosphere and creates a bit of a buzz compared to a normal Thursday night.

People are thinking about this so much and reading into it so much their heads must be bursting. The sum total of my thinking about arthurs day was. "It's Arthurs day, there will be a bit of craic around lets go for a few pints". I don't care that its marketing, or that we are celebrating a brand, sure I love the stuff and I've no problem celebrating it

You're asking the wrong person. I don't really care. I was just pointing out that people were being pedantic instead of discussing a point.

thebaz

zenno wrote: »

Seen this many times scratching my head walking by wondering if it is brain-dead day. Sad bunch of people. If you asked them who Arthur is, they wouldn't have a clue.

the reality is do we need another day to celebrate neaderthal day in Ireland - in many cultures acts of binge drinking and drunkeness is looked at as a mental illness and something to be ashamed of , rather than something to be celebrated and be proud of.

zenno

Lorelai Inexpensive Catapult wrote: »

Whats wrong with having a reason to drink? Yes you can go out any night you wish and I know I certainly don't need any excuse to go drinking but having a day like this gets lots of people out at the same time, which makes for a better atmosphere and creates a bit of a buzz compared to a normal Thursday night.

People are thinking about this so much and reading into it so much their heads must be bursting. The sum total of my thinking about arthurs day was. "It's Arthurs day, there will be a bit of craic around lets go for a few pints". I don't care that its marketing, or that we are celebrating a brand, sure I love the stuff and I've no problem celebrating it

Well, i admire your social input regarding Arthur's day, whoever he/she is, but i'm celebrating my voyage to the moon with Clannad, so happy Clannad day. Yes this budweiser doesn't taste great, but it's better than Arthur's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2NMKw3pal4

Dyr

I was drinking beamish the whole night, f**k arthur

humanji

Oh, here's a question I was wondering about, that maybe people who were out can answer: were there any bars that weren't serving non-diageo beers? A few years ago a couple of places had covers over the non-diageo taps and I curious to know if they did it again.

Timistry

Dravokivich wrote: »

Truly Irish, pork products?

nope, a lot of the pork in Denny rashers is Dutch...

Ush1

humanji wrote: »

Oh, here's a question I was wondering about, that maybe people who were out can answer: were there any bars that weren't serving non-diageo beers? A few years ago a couple of places had covers over the non-diageo taps and I curious to know if they did it again.

Happened at the Off The Ball live show I was at bout a year ago. Only were serving Carlsberg, absolute joke it was.

zenno

Timistry wrote: »

nope, a lot of the pork in Denny rashers is Dutch...

Well that's a good thing, they do great pork, well look on a Dutch pork packet and it will say "most of the time" 86% pork on good quality one's. From an Irish producer it will say 40% pork or lower, there ye go.

Dave!

humanji wrote: »

Oh, here's a question I was wondering about, that maybe people who were out can answer: were there any bars that weren't serving non-diageo beers? A few years ago a couple of places had covers over the non-diageo taps and I curious to know if they did it again.

AFAIK that's mostly the case is it not? Diageo pay the pubs to do that.

Good on them.

Dave!

Dave! wrote: »

AFAIK that's mostly the case is it not? Diageo pay the pubs to do that.

Good on them.

I doubt diageo are still doing this.

I was talking to the owner of the pub last night and he said he was covering the few pints himself, Diageo didn't give him a certain number free as with other years.

Anyway all this talk of drink is making me thirsty, time for some more of Arthurs finest

AnonoBoy

meemeemee wrote: »

What's wrong with sheeple ?

Nothing besides it being one of the most irritating words around at the moment, normally used by smug gits who think they know better than everyone else and who sometimes think that the fluoride is in the water to control our minds!

Ush1 wrote: »

Happened at the Off The Ball live show I was at bout a year ago. Only were serving Carlsberg, absolute joke it was.

Happens at all sponsored events like that. Go to a Heineken Green Room gig and see if you can get any other lager.

It's the way the event funds itself in those cases. It's not really a joke, it's just a fact of corporate sponsorship - why would they fund a live event and then let another company make company during it?

meemeemee

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Nothing besides it being one of the most irritating words around at the moment, normally used by smug gits who think they know better than everyone else and who sometimes think that the fluoride is in the water to control our minds!

IT ISNT ? :eek:

What about Marlboro Menthol and the sterilisation thing ? And that special ingredient in KFC that gives only Black people cancer ? I'm off the the Urban Myths thread ...

hatrickpatrick

C14N wrote: »

You're oversimplifying. Seeing an ad doesn't trigger a switch in your brain that makes you think "I need Guinness", it works on a subconscious level. There's also the element of mob-mentality. Diego have done a decent job in the run up each year to make it look like "hey, everyone is going out for Arthur's Day" which kind of causes a coercion factor. If you're a student for example, you don't just stay in on Arthur's Day, everyone will think you're a massive dry sh!te.

Most people think they are immune to the influences of advertising and that their decisions are made completely by themselves and yet all of these major companies spend billions on it each year.

Regardless, no one is "making" anyone do anything. If you really don't want to do Arthur's Day you don't have to and I know plenty of people who didn't - I'm just getting tired of seeing so many comments acting as if Diageo are somehow forcing this on people. I see plenty of ads for English football, most of my mates are fans, am I being "made" to be a fan as well?

Ush1

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Happens at all sponsored events like that. Go to a Heineken Green Room gig and see if you can get any other lager.

It's the way the event funds itself in those cases. It's not really a joke, it's just a fact of corporate sponsorship - why would they fund a live event and then let another company make company during it?

Then advertise that. It's a pub that every day of the week sells all drinks. I only can drink cider so it was basically a case that I couldn't drink.

Reekwind

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Regardless, no one is "making" anyone do anything

So your theory is that advertising doesn't work and that the entire industry is a sham?

hatrickpatrick

Reekwind wrote: »

So your theory is that advertising doesn't work and that the entire industry is a sham?

Not at all, but people who buy things based on advertising are still choosing to do so. Nobody made anyone go out last night if they didn't want to, everyone who took part took part of their own free will.

The Anti Arthur's Day campaign going on about Diageo "making" people drink acts as if everyone involved is a child who can't make up his or her mind on their own. It's irritating and condescending.

AnonoBoy

Ush1 wrote: »

Then advertise that. It's a pub that every day of the week sells all drinks. I only can drink cider so it was basically a case that I couldn't drink.

But all of those events take place in pubs or clubs that serve all drinks every day of the week.

It's annoying but it happens all the time.

Reekwind

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Not at all, but people who buy things based on advertising are still choosing to do so. Nobody made anyone go out last night if they didn't want to, everyone who took part took part of their own free will

Which is not in question. Nobody thinks that Diageo controls people's minds. What is being questioned is how their advertising, and such events, impact the role of alcohol in Irish culture

And that's a far more nuanced discussion than one in which individual consumer 'choice' is independent and absolute

Ush1

AnonoBoy wrote: »

But all of those events take place in pubs or clubs that serve all drinks every day of the week.

It's annoying but it happens all the time.

So advertise the fact. Simples.

Systemic Risk

bill buchanan wrote: »

I don't think that's the point. it certainly isn't from where I'm standing anyway. My concern, and that of those I know, is that we've handed over a national day of celebration to a marketing company. we even call it Arther's "day". Telling people that it's a cynical marketing ploy won't surprise them, i agree. My concern is that things that we come together to celebrate as a country should be special, important things, because these days are few and far between. A company shouldn't be able to buy that for the price of a pint and a band. way more people "celebrate" Arthur's day than commemorate things like the lockout I'd imagine and other important things in our history, and that's what worries me.

Basically we're seen to celebrate diageo above all the things worth celebrating in our history, because someone puts on a band and gives us a free pint. That can't be good for us a country.

You have a fair point about more important things we should be celebrating and perhaps if celebrations and festivals were organised for these events more would attend. I know in galway any time there is entertainment or festivals such as the arts festival people turn out in their thousands.

The problem with celebrating things like the lockout, the rising etc. is that due to our the nature of the most significant events in our history they are usually sombre affairs usually with a march and a few prayers and maybe a laying of a wreath. They are remembrance events rather than celebrations. This is great but not exactly going to attract that many people who don't have an interest in the such things. To be honest I never heard about the lockout before this year. Many people nowadays barely manage to care about the 1916 rising.

I honestly dont think anyone was celebrating Diageo yesterday, they were just out for a bit of craic. Maybe the company should rebrand Arthurs day and just say its an annual event to promote their product, music and the pub and a day to thank all their current and future customers for their business. I think it would annoy people less if they did something like this. They could still have a toast at 17:59 and have everyone say sláinte or something. I must admit that the name bug me a bit but Im quite ok with the overall event.

redtapestyl

*sweats a little*
happy happy happy happy Arthur's day
*sweats a lot*
it's just another alcoholiday
*drowns in river of sweat*

Míshásta

Systemic Risk wrote: »

To be honest I never heard about the lockout before this year. .

You never even HEARD about the most important event in Irish Labour history?

I don't know whether that statement is a damning indictment of our education system or whether you're just generally uninformed about the past.

crusher000

Reekwind wrote: »

Which is not in question. Nobody thinks that Diageo controls people's minds. What is being questioned is how their advertising, and such events, impact the role of alcohol in Irish culture

And that's a far more nuanced discussion than one in which individual consumer 'choice' is independent and absolute

When was alcohol part of Irish culture ? We have a rep rightly or wrongly for being an island of drinkers ( I don't agree with this stereotype along with others, for other nations) but it's not part of our culture. To say the impact the role of alcohol in Irish culture is a very damaging image. Traditional music, dance, GAA this is part of our culture not alcohol. In fairness we have alot of people that may drink but it has nothing to do with culture. We need to dispell all this image of heavy drinkers as some part of whom we are. This is part of our problem.

Howard Juneau

crusher000 wrote: »

When was alcohol part of Irish culture ? We have a rep rightly or wrongly for being an island of drinkers ( I don't agree with this stereotype along with others, for other nations) but it's not part of our culture. To say the impact the role of alcohol in Irish culture is a very damaging image. Traditional music, dance, GAA this is part of our culture not alcohol. In fairness we have alot of people that may drink but it has nothing to do with culture. We need to dispell all this image of heavy drinkers as some part of whom we are. This is part of our problem.

Ireland has a drinking culture, to believe otherwise is sheer folly.

PingO_O

crusher000 wrote: »

When was alcohol part of Irish culture ? We have a rep rightly or wrongly for being an island of drinkers ( I don't agree with this stereotype along with others, for other nations) but it's not part of our culture. To say the impact the role of alcohol in Irish culture is a very damaging image. Traditional music, dance, GAA this is part of our culture not alcohol. In fairness we have alot of people that may drink but it has nothing to do with culture. We need to dispell all this image of heavy drinkers as some part of whom we are. This is part of our problem.

We have this image and the stereotype because it's what we do c, drinking is part of our culture whatever way you try to word it.

I can't go to a party or on a night out not drinking without getting grilled about it. If you're not out on a mad one you're boring. That sounds like a drinking culture to me.

I do drink as much as everyone else sometimes so I'm not passing judgement on what anyone wants to do but let's call it what it is.

Systemic Risk

Míshásta wrote: »

You never even HEARD about the most important event in Irish Labour history?

I don't know whether that statement is a damning indictment of our education system or whether you're just generally uninformed about the past.

Damning indictment of our education system? Because someone doesnt know a fact from our labour history? I havnt studied history since i was 15 and have very little interest in irish labour history. I know in general about trade union movements and their importance in gaining rights for workers. Is that ok for you? I assure you i am very well educated and very knowledgable about my area of expertise.

crusher000

crusher000 wrote: »

When was alcohol part of Irish culture ? We have a rep rightly or wrongly for being an island of drinkers ( I don't agree with this stereotype along with others, for other nations) but it's not part of our culture. To say the impact the role of alcohol in Irish culture is a very damaging image. Traditional music, dance, GAA this is part of our culture not alcohol. In fairness we have alot of people that may drink but it has nothing to do with culture. We need to dispell all this image of heavy drinkers as some part of whom we are. This is part of our problem.

An awful lot of us are proud of our drinking culture!

Duck's hoop

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

Edit: I didn't use the word "mighty" btw. I'm from Dublin. Thanks.

And you live in Madrid, as you never tire of informing us, squeezing it into practically every post. Snottiest edit I've seen.

crusher000

Howard Juneau wrote: »

Ireland has a drinking culture, to believe otherwise is sheer folly.

Point I'm making is we often give ourselves this tag as if it's part of our culture. It's not, it has nothing to do with culture. It's to do with the fact that they'res people amongst us whom like to drink alot. We need to rid ourselves of this tag. We're also known as the fighting Irish. Is this part of our culture. How many people do you know that go out looking for a fight ? I don't keep those type of friends.

Reekwind

crusher000 wrote: »

When was alcohol part of Irish culture ?

Try Thursday night. A supposed 'cultural event' that turned Ireland into a billboard for a drinks company. An initiative to "showcase Ireland's talent and creativity" that was founded, promoted and organised by a drinks company. An attempt at an unofficial national holiday that just happened to involve thousands of people consuming a drink company's product

Dave!

Think the Dubliners, Patrick Kavanagh, Christy Moore (of old). Ever been to a trad session? I'm sure the feckin 1916 leaders spent a lot of time in the pub! Alcohol is part of our culture.

There are unsavoury aspects of the Irish relationship with booze (alcoholism, puke on the streets, health problems, etc.), but I for one don't feel any shame about the fact that one of the things that attracts tourists to Ireland is going to the pub, talking to Irish people (who are regarded as among the friendliest people in the world), drinking Guinness, and watching musicians play (particularly Irish ones).

This whole thing strikes me as the self-loathing that the Irish also have a predilection for.

guillespe

My take on this: 1. The pubs are dying 2. Business is good for the economy 3. It sponsors our favourite sports teams across ireland.

I think too many media soundbites have been given to anti-arthurs cranks,and it needs to stop,think about the money pouring into the country on days like this,if everybody had a pint - it could save the economy.


Nobody drinks anymore thanks to these assholes taxing the life out of it,and complaining.

hatrickpatrick

This doesn't sound too good
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/arthurs-day-up-for-review-by-diageo-29617003.html

Arthur's Day is to be reviewed by drinks firm Diageo although festivities passed off peacefully.

Increased media attention ahead of this year's event cast a spotlight on the anti-social aspect to the celebrations with widespread public drinking, hospital presentations and a massive clean-up operation marring previous years.

When asked if it was possible to say there would definitely be an Arthur's Day next year, Diageo responded: "As is the case with all our activities, we will review and evaluate Arthur's Day post-event."

Not sure if this is the Indo taking a standard response ("we review everything on an ongoing basis") and turning it into more than it really is, but I for one sincerely hope they don't decide to cancel it.

guillespe

hatrickpatrick the media jump all over it and will destroy arthurs day completley,what has stopped them before from wrecking people's livelyhoods...nothing..It sells more papers,sensationalise it up ,sex it up and there you have a story at the expense of the struggling pub landlord..Fcukers

hatrickpatrick

If Guinness actually do cancel it for next year, I say we pick a late September Thursday, make a Facebook event for it, and just have Arthur's Day anyway

guillespe

Youre on and im in on that.. Tell me when you have it up..Cheers

crusher000

As always in Ireland the way to deal with a problem is to ban it or out law it. How will getting rid of Arthurs Day (if it is to happen) solve the drinking issue in Ireland ? Was in England last week. Opening hours are 24 hour. I was out until 3:00am and every where was calm. No one kicking the crap out of anyone outside the take away or at the taxi rank. People went home when they had enough including myself. I went out at 11:00 and had 5 drinks. If i was back home and the pubs closing at 12:30 I would probably try and have 5-6 pints in the hour and a half. Then of to the take away along with everyone else that had to leave because of our licensing laws. Only some people have a problem with the consumption of alcohol but the majority that don't have to suffer.

C14N

crusher000 wrote: »

As always in Ireland the way to deal with a problem is to ban it or out law it. How will getting rid of Arthurs Day (if it is to happen) solve the drinking issue in Ireland ?

It sounds like Diageo are deciding not to run it themselves because they don't want negative publicity, it's not being banned.

Even if it was, it's a fallacy to ask "how will it solve the drinking problem?". No one thing that happens will solve a big problem, it's just a small step. The smoking ban didn't just stop everyone from smoking, but most people still agree that it was a good idea.

conorhal

Well, I'm just back from Oktoberfest in Munich, had a great time in the Hakker sponsored tent and the Pauliner tent.
Two things I enjoyed most about the weekend, firstly, the fact that nobody there wasted a moment wringing their hands in anguish that a festival dedicated solely to beer might lead to drunkenness, and secondly, women in a drindel are sexy, but women in Leiderhosen are so smoking hot that I nearly had to dump an entire Mas in my lap to put out the fire!

hatrickpatrick

C14N wrote: »

It sounds like Diageo are deciding not to run it themselves because they don't want negative publicity, it's not being banned.

There are a lot of people who want to ban it, which I think is what was being referred to in that post;

Even if it was, it's a fallacy to ask "how will it solve the drinking problem?". No one thing that happens will solve a big problem, it's just a small step. The smoking ban didn't just stop everyone from smoking, but most people still agree that it was a good idea.[/QUOTE]

Slightly different scenario though - passive smoking has a direct, measurable and tangible effect on non smokers in the same pub and employees. There's no such thing as automatic "passive drinking" - any harm done to third parties is as a result of specific individuals and not simply a direct result of alcohol being consumed.

In other words, you can 100% guarantee harm to non-willing participants in a scenario in which someone is smoking and others are not. You can't 100% guarantee harm to non willing participants in a scenario in which someone is drinking and others are not. You can predict it, but you can't guarantee it, hence why I don't approve of sledgehammer legislation.

ScumLord

conorhal wrote: »

Well, I'm just back from Oktoberfest in Munich, had a great time in the Hakker sponsored tent and the Pauliner tent.

The thing is though that's a traditional festival and not entirely focused on promoting one product. As you already pointed out it's open to all types of beer manufacturers and while those companies use the event to promote their products it's not the sole focus of the event.

Cavehill Red

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

If Guinness actually do cancel it for next year, I say we pick a late September Thursday, make a Facebook event for it, and just have Arthur's Day anyway

You could have a facebook day to celebrate Ronald McDonald's birthday too, and then ye could all dress up like clowns.

hatrickpatrick

Cavehill Red wrote: »

You could have a facebook day to celebrate Ronald McDonald's birthday too, and then ye could all dress up like clowns.

I'd be up for that, I know a few people who are scared of clowns, a national clown invasion could be lulzy indeed

Cavehill Red

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I'd be up for that, I know a few people who are scared of clowns, a national clown invasion could be lulzy indeed

And much less likely to result in a 30% increase in A+E attendances or a 100% increase in emergency call-outs.

Princess Evey Hammond

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I'd be up for that, I know a few people who are scared of clowns, a national clown invasion could be lulzy indeed

I would lock myself in my room shut the curtains and wear a blindfold for the day if that were to happen :eek: :eek: :eek: