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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > What were Nike thinking, marketing Black and Tan sneakers for St. Patrick's Day? Irish Americans surely deserved better than that

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

What were Nike thinking, marketing Black and Tan sneakers for St. Patrick's Day? Irish Americans surely deserved better than that

Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2012 at 10:19 AM

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What were Nike thinking?

They have a $3 billion dollar budget worldwide for marketing and the best they can come up with for the Irish this St. Patrick's Day is the 'Black and Tan' sneaker.

Did no one at this giant company just check on Google exactly what most Irish relate the term Black and Tan to?

It was the equivalent of Al-Qaeda for a generation of Irish during the War of Independence. A bunch of merciless thugs and scum, many from British prisons, released on the Irish to kill and shoot as many as possible and terrorize them into subjection.

Surely not a fitting name for a St.Patrick's Day-themed pair of sneakers?

Nike made the elementary mistake of linking their product to a drink called Black and Tan on sale in some bars. But the drink has nothing like the world wide reputation or impact that the original term does.
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It is a marketing strategy straight out of the "Nova," the car marketed in Hispanic countries which means "no go," and the Ford Probe, which reminded every woman of a gynecological inspection.

It is up there with Umbro marketing Zyklon runners a few years back in Israel -- Zyklon B was the form of gas that killed millions of innocent Jews in the Holocaust.

The sheen has come off Nike in recent years with lots of issues around child labor in their Far East sweat shops.

This latest gaffe will certainly not help with Irish Americans and neither should it.

Nike should just do it -- get rid of these offensive sneakers.

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39 Comments

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Shmrck5S | Mar 13, 2012, 04:27 PM EDT

Completely agree with Dr Trelawney about Smithwick's and Harp. I like a "light" brew (Guinness) now and again but only when I can't get a nice draft from a barrel of light sweet crude oil or possibly a pint of tar. If it's not bitter and chewy, its' just not a proper brew. (Sarcasm-for those who didn't recognize)

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Shmrck5S | Mar 13, 2012, 10:20 AM EDT

What WERE Nike thinking? I were wondering the same thing. How pretentious.

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patto69 | Mar 13, 2012, 10:15 AM EDT

Much ado about nothing.

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RedBranch | Mar 13, 2012, 10:13 AM EDT

When in Dundalk I drink nothing else.

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DrTrelawney | Mar 13, 2012, 10:08 AM EDT

They do still make McArdles. I always felt it was only marginally nicer than the watery Smithwicks. There are, however, now quite a few decent ales brewed by Irish micro-breweries. If you are in Dublin seek out Against the Grain on Camden Street. They offer a superb selection of specialist Irish beers.

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GeorgeDillon | Mar 13, 2012, 05:24 AM EDT

RedBranch: Do they still make McArdles? I don't think I've seen it in any of my recent visits to Ireland. It was/is a very good beer.

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DanOLoingsigh | Mar 12, 2012, 06:37 PM EDT

Dr T...Thanks...RedB...It took a while to get the Smithwick's ref...

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DrTrelawney | Mar 12, 2012, 02:40 PM EDT

Two thumbs up, Dan. A good joke. I wouldn't put it past the more sensitive contributors to this site to take it seriously, though.

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RedBranch | Mar 12, 2012, 01:50 PM EDT

TV researcher doing a study on Jews in Louth; walks up to a native and asks 'Is it true the people of Dundalk are anti Semitic?' The local thinks and then sagely replies'No, we just prefer the taste of McCardles.'

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DanOLoingsigh | Mar 12, 2012, 12:05 PM EDT

Dr T, Your reference to Pale Ale, thoughtlessly named after the occupied part of Leinster, is an unwelcome reminder of centuries of hurt inflicted by Saxon Kings and Queens and their Janissaries - Say NO to Nike, Say NO to Whitbread........

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DrTrelawney | Mar 12, 2012, 11:35 AM EDT

On a less inflammatory topic, I note that the press release from Nike claims that Harp -- the world's most horrid lager -- is a "pale ale". If I were a pale ale I'd be greatly offended.

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modalaigh | Mar 12, 2012, 10:35 AM EDT

Personally, I'd be more concerned about all this if the sneakers shot at you after you put them on.

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modalaigh | Mar 12, 2012, 10:33 AM EDT

Personally, I'd be a lot more concerned with this issue if the sneakers shot at you after you put them on.

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SeamusMor | Mar 12, 2012, 10:01 AM EDT

They're just thinking "out of the box." Next comes Nazi SS jack boots, Khmer Rouge sandals, and Taliban shoe bombs.

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jamieLM | Mar 12, 2012, 09:24 AM EDT

Don't like them, don't buy them. I've worn black slacks and a tan blouse. I wasn't trying to make a political statement against anyone. Now we have to worry about offending someone by wearing the wrong color combinations? This is nonsense stuff.

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