Irish primary schools celebrated a victory this week as Independent Newspapers abandoned their “Building for the Future” scheme just weeks after its high-profile launch.
It is the first time a major in-school marketing promotion has been scrapped and is an embarrassing climb down for Independent and their co-sponsors Bank of Ireland.
The launch of “Building for the Future”, which demanded a quota of 20 tokens per pupil from schools wishing to enter, was met with condemnation from across the teaching community.
The Campaign for Commercial Free Education urged schools to boycott the commercially-driven promotion and pointed out that a single stream school (8 classes X 27 children X 20 tokens X €1.80 per copy) must give Independent Newspapers €7,776 in sales plus thousands more in free advertising and promotion within the school.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation described the scheme as “a new low in trying to target school children for commercial gain” and promised a public protest if the companies involved did not scrap the promotion.
Fifty Six primary principals signed a statement rejecting “Building for the Future” and criticising the sponsors for “seeking to exploit schools, boost sales and make life uncomfortable for children whose parents do not buy the sponsors newspapers.”
In the face of such blanket criticism, Independent Newspapers have ceased to promote or publish tokens for the scheme. The scheme has been quietly consigned to the marketing dustbin while teachers celebrate an important victory.
Joseph Fogarty, chairperson of the Campaign for Commercial Free Education, said “This is great news for schools whose teaching time will not now be wasted collecting quotas of tokens, pressurising children and pestering parents. We hope this is the beginning of the end for commercial voucher schemes and that Tesco, SuperValu and others will take note that children are not for sale in schools.”
Further information:
Joseph Fogarty, Chairperson,
Campaign for Commercial-Free Education 086 3220688
Niall Smyth, Vice Chairperson
Campaign for Commercial-Free Education 087 6988540