Washing powder brand told to ditch GAA deal
WASHING powder brand Ariel has been taken to task over its promotional deal with the GAA, with Traditional Unionist Voice councillor Mel Lucas claiming the organisation is not "whiter than white" because of the naming of its grounds after IRA men.
Mr Lucas says Ariel should "come clean" and dump the marketing deal.
Ariel is currently running a promotion offering consumers the opportunity to win GAA towels.
Mr Lucas slammed the promotion as distasteful and said Ariel are engaging in the glorification of terrorism.
He said: "The GAA continues to promote itself as a legitimate sporting organisation in order to attract funding.
"However it is clear that rather than being a sporting organisation the GAA is overtly political and strives to promote a republican agenda.
"A number of GAA clubs have named their grounds after the IRA hunger strikers and the GAA president, Nicky Brennan, officially opened a GAA field named in honour of the IRA terrorist and hunger striker Kevin Lynch, and the GAA's Casement Park has hosted commemoration events for the hunger strikers.
"The glorification of men who were imprisoned for acts of IRA terrorism is sickening."
The South Antrim TUV branch says it's written to the marketing department of Ariel asking them to reconsider their promotion of the GAA, which they find is offensive to the unionist community which suffered at the hands of the IRA throughout the Troubles.
"A number of victims of terrorism have approached our branch and requested that we speak out against Ariel's shameful advertising of the GAA which forwards terrorists as republican heroes.
"It will take a lot more than Ariel to clean-up the GAA.
"If the GAA want to promote their organisation they should begin with renaming their grounds.
"The DUP have somewhat legitimised the IRA by entering government with Sinn Fein but this is no excuse for Ariel to follow suit.
"It is clear to all that the GAA is far from being whiter than white."
A spokesman for Proctor and Gamble, which owns the Ariel brand said: "P&G is a business organisation and not a political organisation.
"Our focus is on meeting the needs of consumers with products that improves their lives.
"Ariel has a long heritage with sports associations, both in the UK and Ireland, such as the IRFU and the Lawn Tennis Association.
"We see this type of association as a strong platform to reach our consumers."
No one from the GAA was available to comment on Mr Lucas's comments.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
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