“BINGE ADVERTISING” – SIGNS OF THE TIMES: HEINEKEN KITSCH FESTOONS THE CITY

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday May 27, 2003 14:21 by R Mac Eoin - An Taisce antaiscepress at oceanfree dot org www.antaisce.org 01 454 1786

AN TAISCE SLATES “TOTAL LOGO” APPROACH PERMITTED IN DUBLIN LAST WEEKEND

AN TAISCE, IRELAND'S LARGEST AND OLDEST ENVIRONMENTAL CHARITY, NOTES HIPOCRISY OF CITY AUTHORITIES IN CONDEMNING ALCOHOL ABUSE WHILE SIPPING FROM THE PROVERBIAL MARKETING COFFERS OF THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY

“BINGE ADVERTISING” – SIGNS OF THE TIMES:
HEINEKEN KITSCH FESTOONS THE CITY

AN TAISCE CONDEMNS “TOTAL LOGO” APPROACH NOW PERMITTED IN DUBLIN

AN TAISCE NOTES HIPOCRISY OF CITY AUTHORITIES IN CONDEMNING ALCOHOL ABUSE WHILE SIPPING FROM THE PROVERBIAL MARKETING COFFERS OF THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY

AN TAISCE STATEMENT 05 – 2003

Binge Advertising; it’s the newest concept in the marketing world. Tending to happen around rugby weekends, when city authorities take leave of their senses, the concept manifests itself with visual sprawl all along Stephens Green, Baggot St, Ballsbridge, and the Quays. Yes, it’s “Dublin – Brought to you by Heineken”!

Cheers to Heineken and the city authorities for succeeding where the artist Christo failed – namely that of wrapping Stephens Green in banners and other material. But this time it’s not art; it’s commercial! Obviously not satisfied with the usual Beer Industry rubbish that floats down the Liffey, Heineken are indeed at the fore-front when it comes to having a King Kong sized bit of litter in the shape of a massive plastic bottle set afloat on the river.

Moreover, with Heineken already having been forced to take down some of this horrendous advertising at Baggot St Bridge - due to its outrageously large nature - An Taisce will welcome when all the tack is down - as it should never have been allowed up in the first place.

However questionable it is to allow sporting events to be sponsored by the Alcohol Industry, this new form of aggressive advertising is a complete outrage. Described as a “trail” by its promoters, An Taisce can now reveal the true purpose of this Heineken “trail” will most likely be that of a trail of litter, empty cans, and the other usual left over delights that often accompany such events – which of course, we would be far too polite to mention here.

Not content to properly pursue the massive multi-nationals in the Alcohol Industry for unauthorized advertising, the City Authorities have now instead opted for a course of endorsing a most wretched form of booze merchandising. Meanwhile you, the consumer, will be treated to the usual spin-surgeoned pap of how the Nations Authorities – both national as well as local – want to clamp down on binge drinking, the associated anti-social behaviour, and alcohol related crimes, etc., etc.

And to think there we were, on one hand being informed as to how the demon drink is a major contributing factor to rates of depression, while on the other being informed as to how we are constantly being ripped of at the point of purchase. Well, guess what? They have ripped you off again – this time by festooning only the most visually appealing parts of the capital city with their new low of cheap, tacky, tawdry, and over-logoed form of branding. It’s enough to make sick – literally.

Ireland, well known for its lack of directional signage, now has Dublin City Council having over compensated for any oversight in the rest of the country; and sure enough, sign of the times, these Heineken signs will tells us nothing useful - except for the fact how low as a society we are now prepared to settle in terms of accepting the en-mass commercial logoisation of our environs. Bottoms up; here’s to Dublin City Council for being such an active participant in encouraging visual pollution of new lows.

An Taisce now advocates that the City Authorities revise their tolerance for such a retrograde and aggressive form of “Capital Branding”. Either that, or else take the current strategy to its logical conclusion and earn the cheapest of bucks and allow bidding for a commercial logo to go on the City Councils own crests.

End of statement.

Attribution: spokesperson for An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland.

An Taisce – Ireland’s Largest & Oldest Environmental Charity

Tailors Hall, Back Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland. Tel: 01 454 1786, Fax: 01 453 3255.

www.antaisce.org