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Raise a Pint Glass to Irish Dads

Irene Hislop
Toasting with Guinness/Irish Stout
Toasting with Guinness/Irish Stout

We think of champagne as the beverage for toasts, but in fairness… most Irish dads would rather have a creamy pint of Guinness. The famous brand’s long history of advertising innovation is as impressive as its smooth, rich taste. The proof is in the number and variety of Irish gifts that use images and slogans from Guinness ads.

https://youtu.be/u455OHbDiu0

A quick glance at most Guinness merchandise will confirm that the iconic brand was first established in 1759. That’s when Arthur Guinness signed the famous 9,000 year lease on a property at St. James’s Gate, Dublin. He’d learned the craft of brewing from his father growing up just outside the city in County Kildare. What father wouldn’t be thrilled to see his child grow up to take the skills he’d taught them and establish one of the most successful business ventures ever?

  • Image source: https://artreview.com/the-guinness-ideology/
  • My Goodness, My Guinness, John Gilroy (1956) I © Diageo

The company resisted advertising for a very long time, and only commissioned its first ads in 1929 with the caveat that the ads had better be as good as the beer. Nearly a century of public opinion seems to confirm that they were indeed!

Official Guinness Licensed Figurines

If the internet has shown us one thing, it’s that regardless of all the things people can find to fight over online, we all love a good animal video. Cats, penguins, bears… any animal doing something silly can grab the world’s attention with lightning speed and unite people in good-natured appreciation. But the folks who designed the early Guinness ads seemed to know this generations ago. The brand’s most enduring – and endearing – ads feature the antics of a collection of zoo animals and their perpetually gobsmacked keeper. Those ads haven’t run in years, but the images are still popular on Irish gifts such as t-shirts and glassware.

Toasting Dad’s Irish Heritage or Just His Love of a Good Pint

If your own dad has Irish roots, a love of Irish culture or just a passion for a good pint of stout, perhaps he’s a fan of Guinness. In fact, the brand has a lot of fans who enjoy the history and the heritage but don’t drink beer. The iconic brewery gates on the River Liffey have made it a symbol of Ireland, particularly of Dublin. That’s why all of the Guinness imagery remains so beloved. The zookeeper and his animals, the harp, the gates – they speak to us of a long history and Ireland’s welcoming pub culture. It’s about so much more than drinking beer.

Branded gifts with the iconic Guinness logos

Father’s Day is in June. If you are raising a glass to toast your father, grandpa, godfather, uncle or any other wonderful man in your life who has been there for you, why not gift-wrap one as well? A pint glass or a Guinness t-shirt makes an excellent present for Father’s Day – or any day you want to celebrate him. If he loves Irish culture, he’s sure to appreciate Irish gifts featuring Guinness images. It might remind him of raising a glass with his own dad.

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