AIB’s “Build a Bailed-Out Bank Challenge”
September 3, 2009 by Joe Fogarty · Leave a Comment
Unabashed by its toxic debts, beleaguered shareholders and allegations of gross mismanagement, AIB persists in approaching Irish secondary schools to teach students “money-management” and “key business skills”.
Putting Manners on the Marketers.
September 3, 2009 by Joe Fogarty · Leave a Comment
As the new school year 2009-2010 begins, Irish schools are faced with the withdrawal of grants, proposals to decrease the main capitation grant and the realisation that the much-hyped €252 million investment in computers and technology has evaporated into thin air. While commercial schemes proliferated during the years of economic boom in this county, they are likely to endure much longer than our short-lived Tiger era and may seek to exploit the funding shortage in schools.
In an article in the Sunday Business Post, the Campaign for Commercial-Free Education lays down its unapologetically straighforward position - we’re for commercial free education for all Irish children, no if’s, but’s or ambiguity. We believe in a commercial-free space for children to grow, develop and learn to critically assess the world around them without the intrusion of ads, marketing or commercial interest. We seek to defend, in our own small way, the core democratic and child-centred mission of public schools - to deliver messages and experiences solely for the benefit of children and with no other agenda, hidden or apparent.
Read the Article by Catherine O’Mahony in Sunday Business Post, August 30th 2009
Token Gestures Cash In On Primary Schools
January 12, 2009 by Joe Fogarty · Leave a Comment
As the 2009 school year gets underway marketers have lost no time in targeting Irish schools with commercial schemes. Designed to exploit the lack of funding available to schools and maximise sales at a typically lean time of year, these schemes are discriminatory, self-serving and pressurising. The Campaign for Commercial-Free Education condemns advertising promotions which seek to boost profits at the expense of school time and energy.
Irish Daily Mail Free Kits for Kids:
SuperValu Kids in Action: Read more
Broadcasting Complaints Commission to Rule on CCFE Complaint
December 19, 2008 by Joe Fogarty · Leave a Comment
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission is to consider a complaint by the Campaign for Commercial-Free Education concerning a report on RTÉ’s news show News2Day (19 Nov 2008) about the “Doodle 4 Google” promotion in schools.
The complaint proposed that RTÉ’s coverage of this latest marketing promotion to target Irish schools was both commercially biased and lacking in objectivity or balance. RTÉ have rejected the complaint and the BBC will meet on 26th January 2009 to decide.
Read the complaint made by CCFE. Read more
CCFE lodge complaint against RTE for promoting Google marketing scheme.
December 2, 2008 by Joe Fogarty · Leave a Comment
The Campaign for Commercial-Free Education has today complained to RTE and the BCI about a report on children’s news show News2Day (19 Nov 2008) about the “Doodle 4 Google” promotion which seeks to make their corporate logo the focus of art lessons for school children as young as 5 years of age.
Internet giant Google has made an unsolicted approach to schools, urging teachers to have school children from Junior Infants upwards to design a new version of their corporate logo. The entry guidelines read “Please ensure that the Google logo is clearly visible and recognisable.” “Write the word ‘Google’ on the board and show the pupils a print out of the logo template.”
To view the report for yourself please click here. Read more
Supermarket Voucher Schemes Exposed
November 18, 2008 by Joe Fogarty · Leave a Comment
Writing in The Unsuitablog, Keith Furnish has published a series of articles analysing the way that school supermarket voucher schemes work in English schools. 
