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The number of bugs in a chip is relatively proportional to the number of transistors - Bob Colwell, former Intel chief architect
Sun in free beer promo cock-up
THE CURRANT BUN appears to have perpetuated probably the worst beer sales promotion in the world with a joint marketing exercise with Carlsberg lager.
Posters started appearing in participating UK pubs instructing punters to purchase a copy of the Currant Bun on Saturday 23rd August which would contain a free voucher for a pint of beer on Sunday 24th August.
In reality no such vouchers actually made an appearance as far as we can tell.
Nor could we find the promised website or any shortcode which, as claimed, would have enabled punters to find their nearest participating drinking establishment.
The INQ investigated the wording of the in-pub advert and it actually stated that participants should "find" the token rather than guaranteeing a voucher would be included with every copy of the paper.
Luckily, the INQ managed to get hold of a promo leaflet detailing this particular offer.
Significantly, not only did it say that there would be a promotion printed on the front page of the Sun on August 23rd but it also contained the words that the voucher would be "printed in the Sun".
In fact, no such voucher appeared - printed or inserted - and no advert for the promo actually appeared either on the front page or inside the weekly newspaper.
The INQ asked its local participating pub, the Wheatsheaf in Ewell, what had happened.
The pub manager, Julie Barello, confirmed that she'd laid on an extra member of staff but, to date, no vouchers had been forthcoming.
The INQ speculates that Carlsberg might have miscalculated how many free pints it would have ended up giving away.
However, Strongbow recently ran a similar campaign which might not have potentially been successful, but at least participants received the free extra pint. ยต
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There is an easy explanation to this. Carlsberg is the main sponsor of Liverpool FC. As you might remember the SUN made some really awful writings after the Hillsborough disaster where 96 people died. Both LFC and the KOP contacted Carlsberg when they found out about the campaign and asked them to withdraw it. Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_Disaster and scroll down a bit and you can read about what the SUN wrote.
Because of: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/aug/15/advertising.sun
"There's a man outside your pub swearing his head off!" We're not sure what this has to do with the price of wings in Swansea! And then this David Mitchell http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/08/23/why_team_gb_is_capitalisms_fin.html I would have buy one of those rags with the unions and lions; and when some bloke would ask am I British, I says "No, I am just like the far east of Wales." Carlsberg is sensitive to the fact that Liverpool fans feel very strongly about The Rain. But mersy, if they'd just take and behold a pint of Wells Bombardier or Young's Bitter, and enjoy some of the the finest clickish cuisine whatever come from the Wet Chef, I sure Carlsbad would say it the finest best pub south of What for. Oh come on, David: Tea|m UK, Really?!
...there is no such thing as free beer!
Due to the sponsorship with Liverpool Football Club. Liverpool Football Club supporters threatened to boycott Carlsberg if they went through with the campaign because of Liverpool's continued stance against buying a Sun newspaper due to the Suns coverage of the Hillsborough Disaster.
The reason the promo was pulled (after posters had been printed) was because Liverpool FC (whom Carlsberg are the shirt sponsors) did not like the idea of their sponsors promoting free drinking to the masses. They [Liverpool FC] contacted their marketing guy in Carlsberg, and told them their stance on the issue, and Carlsberg agreed to pull the promo. Details can be found on the Liverpool FC website, www.liverpoolfc.tv
Was it just me, or was I the only person who read this wondering what Sun Microsystems was doing handing our free beer? Title should be "The Sun", not "Sun".
The Sun is only printed Mon-Sat, it's not a Sunday paper. The News Of The Screws is the sister of The Sun and it's Sunday version.