Thursday, October 11, 2012

Electric Ireland’s Dublin Web Summit Treat

Meet The Speakers at Electric Ireland’s Tweet Café



Electric Ireland will, again, be bringing a unique coffee experience to the Dublin Web Summit. Powered by Twitter, Dublin Web Summit delegates will be able to enjoy a nice break from the talks and schmoozing by ordering simply by tweeting.

Following on from last year's extremely popular (and award winning!) addition to the summit, Electric Ireland’s Tweet Café will have lots of little doors with numbers corresponding to various coffee orders so you simply tweet the hashtag (#TweetCafe) with your order number. An electronic queuing system will then let you know when your order is ready and you simply head to the door and pick it up.

Beyond just the delicious coffee experience, the Tweet Café also provides delegates with an excellent opportunity to network with key speakers who will be available at the Tweet Café. Some of the speakers lined up include film director Barry Sonnenfeld, blogger Robert Scoble, Moshi Monsters’ Michael Acton-Smith and internet activist Wael Ghonim among others.

Speaking in advance of the two-day conference Margaret Colton, Head of Marketing, Electric Ireland said, “We’re really looking forward to this year’s Dublin Web Summit and are delighted to be powering innovation through the Electric Ireland Tweet Café. The response from delegates at last year’s summit was overwhelming and to make the experience even better this year we’ll be creating an incredible networking opportunity for delegates with some of the conference’s key speakers. The Dublin Web Summit is a wonderful gathering of creative and innovative minds and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”

"The Tweet cafe is a real highlight of the summit, not only does it reward tweeters with a coffee but it is a great opportunity to meet our speakers. We're delighted to have Electric Ireland as a partner of Dublin Web Summit", said Paddy Cosgrave, founder of Dublin Web Summit

Another highlight of the Dublin Web Summit is the Electric Ireland Spark of Genius Award, the winner of which will be announced at the Dublin Web Summit on October 18th 2012 with a prize fund worth €100,000. The competition, now in its third year, focuses on the most promising high potential startups. Nearly 1,000 entries have been shortlisted to 100, who will be offered an opportunity to pitch to leading international investors (Google Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins, Atomico, Accel and many others), industry leaders, startup experts at the Dublin Web Summit taking place at the RDS on the 17th and 18th of October.


For information on the year’s Dublin Web Summit taking place on 17th and 18th October and to book a place visit www.websummit.net.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Big Knit 2012: Dublin’s Statues


Dublin’s statues tip their hats for the innocent Big Knit 2012


Today saw something a little bizarre happen in Dublin. The statues of Daniel O'Connell, Jim Larkin, and Charles Stewart Parnell all got kitted out with woolly hats to celebrate the start of Innocent's Big Knit 2012 in aid of Age Action.

Since 2008, the innocent Big Knit has helped to raise over €60,000 for Age Action by knitting over 180,000 little woolly hats. The hats, which range in design from classic bobble hats to Jedward hats to Santa hats, are all created by the public. So this year innocent are urging everyone to help the cause by knitting 80,000 little woolly hats to raise €20,000 and much needed awareness for Age Action.

Follow the campaign with #IrishBigKnit, check updates on the Innocent Twitter Account, through the Innocent Ireland Facebook Page or on the Innocent site.




Statues that were hatted:

  • Constance Markievicz
  • James Connolly
  • Chariot of Fire
  • Meeting Place (Two Women at the Ha'penny bridge)
  • Patrick Kavanagh
  • Oscar Wilde
  • Molly Malone
  • Phil Lynott
  • John McCormack
  • Henry Grattan
  • Jim Larkin
  • Charles Stewart Parnell
  • Daniel O Connell
  • Robert Emmet
  • Arthur Guinness

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Smirnoff Limited Edition Bottles



Smirnoff have just launched a new series of limited edition bottles. The bottles are part of Smirnoff's bid to awaken the senses through touch before taste. The innovative design concepts bring to life the look and feel of each delicious flavour inside with each design emulating the natural fruit or flavour in startling clarity. Created to capture the imagination, the bottles are crafted using pioneering design techniques.

Pick up a Lime Smirnoff Limited Edition to discover its unique lime skin texture or feel the peel of Green Apple Smirnoff Limited Edition. Blueberry Smirnoff completes the full limited edition range.

Smirnoff Limited Edition Flavours will be available exclusively at Dunnes from 15th October for six weeks.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Guinness: 'Made of More' Ad Campaign

 


Today Guinness launched a brand new advertising campaign to run in the UK and Ireland, 'Made of More'. The campaign features a TV ad entitled ‘Cloud’, which was exclusively previewed on the UK and Irish Guinness Facebook pages today at 12 noon. The ad will be on TV, digital and in cinema from 4th October. Created by AMV BBDO, the campaign celebrates the brand philosophy and reinforces its positioning strategy - getting more out of life by putting more in.

‘Cloud’, directed by award-winning Peter Thwaites, was shot on location in South Africa in both Johannesburg and along the Durban coastline. It follows the extraordinary journey of a rather unusual cloud, a metaphor to show the amazing things that can happen when we challenge ourselves to make the most of who we are.

The campaign also includes creative using four extraordinary visuals shot by renowned photographer Nadav Kandar on location at the Olympic National Park, Washington State. These reveal unique creatures which evidently refuse to settle for the ordinary: a woodpecker has sculptured itself an elaborate home, a caterpillar has delicately nibbled out highly detailed scene in a leaf, and a spider has spun an intricate web depicting other insects to tempt its prey.  A fourth poster shows a swarm of fireflies that have come together to make the shape of a beautiful chandelier on an overhanging branch.


Nick Britton, Guinness Senior Brand Manager, said “We think the new brand creative will resonate with people who are open-minded and alive to opportunity and it will inspire them to never settle for the ordinary. The idea of something being made of more is one that really reflects a shared attitude Guinness has with its drinkers who love the distinctive look and taste of Guinness and aspire to get the most out of every aspect of their lives. It’s not defined by a single age, class or demographic.  Guinness has always been synonymous with iconic advertising and this new creative direction for the brand presents great territory to connect with consumers that never settle for the ordinary.”

Executive Creative Director BBDO on Guinness Western Europe, Dave Buchanan,  said, "We all have a choice.  Many years ago Arthur Guinness chose to transcend the ordinary and produce an extraordinary drink, a drink made of more. Today our cloud bucks the trend. Instead of being blown by the wind it takes its own extraordinary journey; our spider spins an extraordinary web and our woodpecker fashions an extraordinary house. This campaign is about that choice: Do we settle for the way things are or do we take the bold choice to step up and be made of more? Do we settle for an ordinary drink or do we choose one that is made of more?”

Filming was captured over 4 days including 2 half day helicopter shoots. Weather conditions were critical as a clear sky and calm conditions were essential to the shoots success.

Soundtrack information:
“The Grand Finale” – Danny Elfman

Ad credits:
Director: Peter Thwaites, Gorgeous
Prod Co. Producer: Ciska Faulkner, Gorgeous
AMV Producer: Olly Chapman

Creative team:Executive Creative Director: Dave Buchanan
TV: Alex Grieve and Adrian Rossi
Print: Ant Nelson and Mike Sutherland
TV Producer:  Olly Chapman

Friday, September 28, 2012

Guinness: Arthur's Day




----- Press Release -----

Over 600 International and home grown artists perform across Ireland for Arthur's Day

Mumford & Sons, Tinie Tempah, Ellie Goulding, Example and more make Guinness 2012 Arthur's Day celebration the biggest yet

September 28th - Yesterday saw a record number of GUINNESS® lovers worldwide come together to celebrate Arthur’s Day 2012. Fans from 55 countries across the globe, spanning six time zones, raised a toast to the founder of the legendary stout, Arthur Guinness.

The global events kicked off on 27th September across Europe. Spanish festivities were led by the former lead singer of popular rock band Pereza as 1,200 GUINNESS fans raised a toast to Arthur. While in Germany and Italy, Revolverheld and Max Gazze continued the Arthur’s Day celebrations.

An hour later, GUINNESS lovers at Senate House in London were treated to an exclusive gig from music icon Tom Jones performing a one-off collaboration with R&B superstar Wretch 32. To top off the evening, a silent disco and an impressive light projection of the St James’ Gate brewery in Dublin allowed fans to feel like they were almost at the home of GUINNESS. GUINNESS lovers at Senate House in London were treated to an exclusive gig from music icon Tom Jones performing a one-off collaboration with R&B superstar Wretch 32. To top off the evening, a silent disco and an impressive light projection of the St James’ Gate brewery in Dublin allowed fans to feel like they were almost at the home of GUINNESS.

Simultaneously, surprise gigs from the likes of Mumford & Sons, Professor Green, Example, Fun Lovin’ Criminals and Fatboy Slim took place in pubs across Ireland giving fans a once in a lifetime opportunity to get up close to these renowned music stars for a truly remarkable evening.

Ellie Goulding shot a music video using audience participation at her Arthur’s Day TV Special in Cork’s Crane Lane while Mika did a unique performance of some of his songs with Dublin Gospel Choir.

Irish Highlights
·  Texas surprised locals with an early performance in Smyth’s Bar, Denmark Street, Limerick before heading for a late gig in a local pub in Galway city
·  The Coronas played a surprise gig in Geary’s Bar, Charleville, Co Cork
·  Mumford & Son’s performed to a packed Toner’s pub, Baggot Street, Dublin
·  Primal Scream turned up at The Silver Granite, Palmerstown, Dublin
·  Mika showed up at The Graduate, Dun Laoighaire, Dublin
·  Tinie Tempah played to a surprised audience in Whites Tavern, Belfast city
·  Fun Lovin’ Criminals turned up at Kazbar in Waterford City

Celebrations will continue in countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Australia over the next 24 hours with performances from Asian superstars such as Shin, Della Ding Dang and Paul Wong.

Example who performed at the celebrations in Dublin commented; “Well, what better way to come back to Arthur’s Day than with my mates P Money, AlunaGeorge and the boys from Rudimental in tow. I was excited to see where we would all be playing and loved meeting all you Guinness fans! Thanks for having me back Ireland.”

Fatboy Slim said, “27th September only means one thing…Arthur’s Day! I knew it was going to be a big day for Ireland and the fantastic Irish crowds didn’t disappoint. Thank you for having me!”.

Fun Lovin’ Criminals, commented “Wow THANK YOU Ireland. We put on a spectacular little show for those of you who were lucky enough to be in the right pub. To Arthur!”

Nearly €8 million has been donated to the Arthur Guinness Fund to date thanks to Arthur’s Day and other GUINNESS projects. Contributions were made on behalf of people who “checked-in” to Arthur’s Day events via Facebook, so that this year, the celebrations continued the philanthropic legacy of Arthur Guinness and were true to the long standing tradition of the brand, to support those who are in the business of doing good.

With the 2012 festivities celebrated in style across the globe and a record number of people raising a toast to Arthur Guinness, plans are already beginning to ensure Arthur’s Day 2013 provides yet another night to remember for all those involved.

Ellie Goulding said, "Wow – what an incredible experience Arthur's Day was… Cork you were unbelievable! It was a night full of surprises all across Ireland – a great way to bring the whole country together in celebration of one incredible man. To Arthur!"