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"Ireland Keep Your Taxes Low: Vote "NO" " Ad

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  • 03-06-2008 12:41am
    #1
    Hitchhiker's Guide to...
    Registered Users Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭


    Didn't get a screenshot of it, has anyone else seen this banner ad?

    It flashes between "Ireland keep your taxes low: Vote "NO"" and then says something about a Freemount Company (or something like that).

    Seems a bit dodgy tbh with the Lisbon thing coming up. I think it isn't meant to be a political advertisement (which are against boards.ie policy), but still it could be confused as being one.

    Made me go a bit 'hmmm'. No one else? Just me? Okay, i'll get my coat...
    Post edited by Shield on


«13456

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    #2
    tSubh Dearg
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 5,555 ✭✭✭tSubh Dearg


    I spotted this briefly the other day and thought I had imagined it as I haven't seen it since. I only saw the Vote No bit as I changed pages and thought it was really odd that boards was suddenly running political ads.

    But you say it's actually an ad for something else?


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    #3
    Ruu_Old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36,634 ✭✭✭✭Ruu_Old


    It comes up on the index page every once in a while.

    advert.gif


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    #4
    Princess Consuela Bananahammock
    Registered Users Posts: 33,044 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    My problem with this was that when I saw it I wasn't sure if it was an ad or a boards.ie in-house contribution.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



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    #5
    tSubh Dearg
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 5,555 ✭✭✭tSubh Dearg


    Personally I'd take that as a political ad. I really don't see how it could be taken otherwise.

    Are they saying, "vote no to other accountants"? That's the only non-political stance I can see, and even then it's very muddy.


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    #6
    Cantab.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,444 ✭✭✭Cantab.


    Adblock plug-in for Firefox is your friend :)


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    #7
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Wondered about this myself.. I always thought it was Boards policy not get politicaly invovled? Some could say that banner is incorrect in some of what it says.


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    #8
    Fajitas!
    Registered Users Posts: 16,624 ✭✭✭✭Fajitas!


    Cantab. wrote: »
    Adblock plug-in for Firefox is your friend :)
    For the sake of whatever 0.00 of a cent boards gets from each Ad, I'd rather keep them there :)

    It does look political, and seems not to have relevance to the advert.


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    #9
    Sherifu
    Registered Users Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    I noticed it a few days ago. I did think it was a bit strange.


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    #10
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    Sherifu wrote: »
    I noticed it a few days ago. I did think it was a bit strange.

    Me too. Wasn't quite sure what was going on. Tis a bit weird.

    Then I disabled banned ads which is awesome!


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    #11
    Agent Smith
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 21,502 Mod ✭✭✭✭Agent Smith


    when you click it, it brings up a Page of lies about the Lisbon Treaty.


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    #12
    Vexorg
    Registered Users Posts: 4,897 ✭✭✭Vexorg


    Boards.ie has no position about advertising politics.

    If someone want to put up a yes banner we will accept it also.

    We would be making a statement if we did not accept the banner.


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    #13
    Hitchhiker's Guide to...
    Registered Users Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭Hitchhiker's Guide to...


    i was thinking more of these posts by DeVore: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54669211&highlight=political+advertising#post54669211

    But maybe he was talking about free ads. Got the gist that he didn't want political ads, but i must be wrong.


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    #14
    Hitchhiker's Guide to...
    Registered Users Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭Hitchhiker's Guide to...


    it's also worth noting that there is nothing in the Treaty that would raise taxes.

    would boards.ie accept an anti-abortion ad showing pictures of dead fetuses?

    would it advertise places in the UK where people could go to get an abortion?

    would it accept a far-right ad asking for all immigrants to be deported?

    what is the line?


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    #15
    Winters
    Registered Users Posts: 14,761 ✭✭✭✭Winters


    I think the fact that a Yes vote would not raise any taxes (Which can be proven by many of the folks over at Politics/EU forums and really is clearly evident from just reading up on the Treaty) would imply that the advertisement is both misleading and ill-informed ... which would be grounds enough for removal I would assume.

    Or can I post a advert in there with "Vote No and Winters will touch your naughty bits" ?


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    #16
    Sherifu
    Registered Users Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    Summer Glau wrote: »
    That Winters guy is a pervert.
    You got that right. He told me it's what all the boys were doing. :(


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    #17
    Winters
    Registered Users Posts: 14,761 ✭✭✭✭Winters


    Sherifu wrote: »
    You got that right. He told me it's what all the boys were doing. :(
    Did you sleep with him too?


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    #18
    Sherifu
    Registered Users Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    Summer Glau wrote: »
    Did you sleep with him too?
    ;_;


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    #19
    Vexorg
    Registered Users Posts: 4,897 ✭✭✭Vexorg


    i was thinking more of these posts by DeVore: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthrea...g#post54669211
    They were free ads and linked to a thread here on boards.ie, the issue being that as we gave free advertising drawing attention to the thread, that it might be misinterpreted as Boards.ie had a position in favour of the discussion

    Regarding the what ifs, I really dont know - you could ask would be accept advertising from Shell - someone will be offended by the Corrib Gas line, from Nestle who promote powered milk in 3rd world countries, from banks who do not have an ultra ethical investment policy - where do you draw the line.

    In this instance I do not see us as being any different to the Dublin Corporation lamp posts.


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    #20
    Hitchhiker's Guide to...
    Registered Users Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭Hitchhiker's Guide to...


    Vexorg wrote: »

    In this instance I do not see us as being any different to the Dublin Corporation lamp posts.

    I like that line for the next advertising campaign by boards.ie:

    "boards.ie: your online lamp post" :)


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    #21
    Bob the Builder
    Registered Users Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭Bob the Builder


    I don't see any harm in it really that is the fault of Boards.ie
    The irish independent will allow an advertisement for Quinn Insurance or the all new impressive Renault Megane. In turn, the editor will butter his bread and say to his team "Don't write anything about these things unless it's good" (this is an example only).

    The fact that Boards.ie Ltd. are allowing us to talk about an advertisement they got paid to host is good, and is one-up on what any newspaper would do.

    And yes. Newspapers DO do that.
    People criticise the Independent Media Group for not saying anything bad about Fianna Fáíl because the owners have a connection with fianna fail. Same goes for ads - everywhere.

    Regarding the advertisement being full of lies. Well go onto the streets of the towns and cities of Ireland and look at the posters; "People died for your freedom - don't throw it away", is just as bad, if not worse than the ads here.

    The gun is in the hands of Freemont to publish ads that are truthful if they are going to attach their corporate logo to it. It is the citizens' responsibility to find out for themselves from the Referendum Commission if the statement is true. I personally find it misleading, but by being a regular user of the internet, I've learnt to only take things at face value.

    There's only one neutral website, that is guaranteed to be truthful and that is the www.lisbontreaty2008.ie website. The commission is accountable for what they say. The government has nothing to do with the commission only for the fact that it set up the idea and appointed a recruitment agency and inputted funding. Content is edited, then quality checked and then approved before going to print. I don't expect Boards.ie to input the same level of quality checking before allowing ads to go live.
    Roundtower2 wrote: »
    I like that line for the next advertising campaign by boards.ie:

    "boards.ie: your online lamp post" :)

    yourlocal-LAMP-POST.ie
    ...and then a picture running around with a (lollipop) lamp post
    Thats good advertising!


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    #22
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,463 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Not a fan of this advert myself
    ai.php?filename=fg_banner_ireland_2.gif&contenttype=gif


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    #23
    Hitchhiker's Guide to...
    Registered Users Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭Hitchhiker's Guide to...


    Are Freemont Group connected in some way to that Libertas / Declan Ganley crowd?


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    #24
    Hitchhiker's Guide to...
    Registered Users Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭Hitchhiker's Guide to...


    They are a Dutch group. What are doing advertising on boards.ie, they don't even seem to be in business here?

    http://www.freemontgroup.com/english.php


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    #25
    Bob the Builder
    Registered Users Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭Bob the Builder


    Roundtower2 wrote: »
    Are Freemont Group connected in some way to that Libertas / Declan Ganley crowd?
    Not sure, but just a FYI, Libertas are financially supported by a group in the USA that sell weapons to the US govt. The Lisbon treaty makes references, in places, to the war in Iraq.


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    #26
    CuLT
    Subscribers Posts: 9,716 ✭✭✭CuLT


    Roundtower2 wrote: »
    They are a Dutch group. What are doing advertising on boards.ie, they don't even seem to be in business here?

    http://www.freemontgroup.com/english.php
    Maybe ask them? :)


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    #27
    Bob the Builder
    Registered Users Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭Bob the Builder


    CuLT wrote: »
    Maybe ask them? :)
    But I can't talk dutch? :p


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    #28
    DeVore
    Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 32,387 Mod ✭✭✭✭DeVore


    Vex and I chatted about this ad when it first arrived. Our decision was that refusing the ad would be an implicit statement of support for the YES side so we would have to reject their advertising too. This basically unravels all advertising because everyone can raise an objection to something (take for example the people who were annoyed about our seeming support for St Lukes hospital, in the thread linked above!).

    Our decision was that we would allow a free market economy and accept what comes, within reason (ie: if someone comes along with an offensive ad with dead foetuses then we will reject it. If you want to get all "ooh but who decides what yadayadayada". We will. There. Easy.).

    So, we'll accept advertising from legitimate sources because to do otherwise is an implicit act of support for their opposition.

    I fully agree with people raising the issue of specific ads or our general policy as we have nothing to hide and its an interesting issue in itself. I dont think anyone on the Lisbon Treaty forum (or any other forum) seriously thinks that simply because we have accepted this ad, we are somehow in the pockets of the "No" camp and will pay any attention to what people are supporting. I think we have established our "independancy" credentials fairly aggressively by now. :)

    And again someone had to pop their heads in here to make sure we are aware that they are denying us even the 0.3 cent their browser might have garnered us, to no cost to them.

    Thanks, thanks a bunch. I cant' write what I really think about you or I would have to ban myself under my own "civility" rules. How ironic.

    DeV.


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    #29
    Sherifu
    Registered Users Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    DeVore wrote: »
    And again someone had to pop their heads in here to make sure we are aware that they are denying us even the 0.3 cent their browser might have garnered us, to no cost to them.

    Thanks, thanks a bunch. I cant' write what I really think about you or I would have to ban myself under my own "civility" rules. How ironic.

    DeV.
    Just to make Dev feel better;

    If you are using adblock plus then just click the arrow beside the abp logo and select "Disable on boards.ie".


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    #30
    Bob the Builder
    Registered Users Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭Bob the Builder


    or of course the fact that of that 0.3 cent, 0.2 cent goes to pay wages, and 0.1 goes to keeping the servers running....

    I feel your pain DeV, you need all the clicks you can get to buy furniture for the yacht you bought from the subscribers money over the last few years. So how's that sweet Airbus a320 aircraft going that you have parked in Dublin Airport....

    edit:i can't find a picture of it now.... I'll have a look later


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    #31
    Hitchhiker's Guide to...
    Registered Users Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭Hitchhiker's Guide to...


    That's fine so, DeV.

    It could be because I dislike so many of the groups that are campaigning for a 'no' group (as opposed to disliking per se the idea of voting no).

    Would hate boards to turn into the likes of a US tv station though.

    Just imagine Jackie Healy Rae and John o'Donoghue fighting it out in the banner ads in the Kerry sub-forum come the next election.

    The science forum with a banner calling for creationism to be taught in schools.


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