Blatant attempt by food distributors to capitalise on popularity of rugby
The Irish Rugby Football Union has made contact, through its solicitors, with Largo Foods, the distributors of Hunky Dorys, and requested that they immediately withdraw the current advertising campaign, the strap line for which claims Hunky Dorys to be ‘Proud Sponsors of Irish Rugby’. Padraig Power, Commercial and Marketing Director, IRFU, stated: “This advertising campaign is in very bad taste and one which the IRFU would not want to be associated with in any way”.
“Firstly, its blatant exploitation of women is tasteless and base, and quite simply unacceptable. Irish Rugby has a strong family focus and would not tolerate any connection with such an approach”.
The campaign imagery launched by Hunk Dory’s urges “fans to get behind their team”, to “join in and get dirty” and uses phrases such as “Scrum – ptious” and “get to know the girls” in the locker room.
Mr Power added; “Secondly, the claim that the product is a ‘Proud Sponsor of Irish Rugby’ implies that the company is a significant sponsor of the game in this country, though the IRFU. This is absolutely untrue and a cynical ploy in an attempt to capitalise on the games popularity. By doing so it has the potential to undermine the legitimate claims of the many genuine sponsors and supporters of Irish Rugby whose investment has been a key element in the success of rugby at grass roots level throughout the country, and of our Provincial and National Teams”.
“In addition to pursuing the immediate withdrawal of the campaign through legal means we are also writing to the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland bringing to their attention the misleading claims”.
“We would hope that the management of Largo Foods would withdraw the campaign immediately”.
