Reebok UK apologises for 'Ireland' t-shirt

MakeEmLaugh

Reebok UK have had to apologise to for printing a t-shirt with an image of Ireland without Northern Ireland on it.

John Kavanagh, the head coach of SBG (Straight Blast Gym) Dublin, was one of the most prominent people who complained about it, saying

“for my geographically challenged friends – 'Ireland' refers to the entire island which is made up of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.”

Does it, though?

According to our constitution, and our passports, our state is called 'Ireland'. It's not called 'the Republic of Ireland'.

The phrase 'the Republic of Ireland' is not used once in our constitution.

The t-shirt didn't say 'the island of Ireland', it simply said 'Ireland'.

And 'Ireland' – the state – is comprised of 26 counties. If you don't recognise the 26 county state as 'Ireland', then you don't recognise its name.

You have every right not to recognise it, of course.

https://twitter.com/IndoSport/status/656868304750026752

Amirani

No

Why do people care so much about these sorts of things? Much better things in life to care about.

KERSPLAT!

Looks ridiculous, they should apologise for making a crap T-shirt

c montgomery

You can be born in Belfast and have an irish passport. Silly mistake by reebok

The Backwards Man

Stupid looking T-shirt
Stupid reason to get offended
Stupid

kneemos

Yer man looks highly suspicious.

alchemist33

Ah, the world-famous Bay of Fermanagh...

OldMrBrennan83

No

This post has been deleted.

godtabh

Don't worry lads I'm offended for you all

The Backwards Man

kneemos wrote: »

Yer man looks highly suspicious.

Probably embarrassed at how stupid he looks

Pawwed Rig

I'm never buying a Reebok product again.

The Backwards Man

c montgomery wrote: »

You can be born in Belfast and have an irish passport. Silly mistake by reebok

You can be born in Mombasa and have an Irish passport

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

No

I think these t-shirts should be decommissioned beyond use. :cool:

amiright amiright

somefeen

Apparently Republic of Ireland is the description of the state, Ireland is the name.

OldMrBrennan83

No

This post has been deleted.

kneemos

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I'm never buying a Reebok product again.

I've never bought a Reebok product.

Chain Smoker

Terrible looking shirt either way, Reebok's UFC merch has been fairly dire so far.

Didn't they release a whole load of shirts with the guys names with typos (Giblert Melendez) or using their legal names instead of the ones they're typically called?
Fake edit: Yep, they did!

masti123

One way to make sure no nobody buys your t-shirt: do this.

The Backwards Man

alchemist33 wrote: »

Ah, the world-famous Bay of Fermanagh...

They should have stuck their own logo in the gap!:pac:

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

No

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You can be born in Mombasa and have an Irish passport

There is quite a large contingent of Irish over in Mombasa alright. :pac:

Nodin

kneemos wrote: »

Yer man looks highly suspicious.

You're right. Keep him talking there while I sneak up behind him.

You would think someone would have pointed out that it kinda looks funny, let's ask an Irish person, or let's just go with any other design that doesn't use a map.

donvito99

[Peter Griffin] Oh my god, who the hell cares. [/Peter griffin]

OldMrBrennan83

No

This post has been deleted.

mr.anonymous

The constitution also says we claim the whole island of Ireland

Pawwed Rig

kneemos wrote: »

I've never bought a Reebok product.

Neither have I. What's this thread about?

The Backwards Man

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

There is quite a large contingent of Irish over in Mombasa alright. :pac:

Was nearly born in it myself, me oul lad was out there blasting the seabed at the time, and me ma was supposed to go out before she found out she was up the duff.:)

MakeEmLaugh

mr.anonymous wrote: »

The constitution also says we claim the whole island of Ireland

No, it doesn't.

It hasn't in almost 20 years.

justchecked

No

There seems to be a general ignorance among the new product development/marketing/sales kiddies generation over in GB as to how to approach selling in that Ireland place or whatever its called.

smash

I wish people would stop apologising just to please the easily offended.

ThisRegard

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

I think these t-shirts should be decommissioned beyond use. :cool:

amiright amiright

You spelled Armalite wrong.

Ruu

I need a new desk.

smash

smash wrote: »

I wish people would stop apologising just to please the easily offended.

I also wish people wouldn't deal with these matters in terms of offence, but in terms of stupidity.

Whether it offends or not, it's just stupid producing a teeshirt that depicts 26 counties.

kneemos

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Neither have I. What's this thread about?

Not a notion.

OldMrBrennan83

No

This post has been deleted.

Diabhal Beag

We really have it great when this is an actual concern.

justchecked

No

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

You can be both right and stupid .....simply by losing sales.

NomadicGray

Am I supposed to know who this Kanangh spa? If he's the most prominent complainer I don't think Reebok need be worried

kingchess

Jasus-ye think they would have more respect for one of the Home Nations.

OldMrBrennan83

No

This post has been deleted.

CFlat

UFC - Ulster Feels the Cold.

Very Bored

I reckon they should advertise these with Take It Down From The Mast as the jingle, they should reach their target share of the market then.

blue5000

kneemos wrote: »

Yer man looks highly suspicious.

Is his nipple the Isle of Man?

Patww79

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

There is no need for them to get into it. It's stupid not to appreciate that it can be a touchy subject,

If they produced a teeshirt referring to Londonderry one might of course say they are correct...but you'd wonder why bother opening up the can of worms at all.

OldMrBrennan83

No

This post has been deleted.

Buona Fortuna

Read thread - yes
Understand issue - Nah
Offended - fucckin right
subscribe to thread - Nah

Patww79

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

But there is a limitless amount of logos they can go with. I think it takes a form of stupidity to reach for one that has ended up with them apologising, even if they are factually correct.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

No

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Facts are facts indeed. The fact is that Irish sport is in general an 'island of Ireland' affair. Reebok are foolish to not see that. Norman Parke is a UFC fighter from the North and has been put on the 'Irish' fight night cards usually, even though (I think) he's not from the green side of the divide.

Rugby, GAA, golf, boxing are all island of Ireland sports. Even in soccer where there are two fully separate Irish teams the Republic draws players from the north to play for them, again making it much more of an island of Ireland team than a 26 county team.

biko

Stupidlooking tshirt

donegaLroad

its a bit like printing a t-shirt with a map of Canada without Quebec.

Skylinehead

No

donegaLroad wrote: »

its a bit like printing a t-shirt with a map of Canada without Quebec.

It's not though, is it?