

WINTER LIGHTS, GIN DISTILLERY & DRY JAN
WINTER LIGHTS @ CANARY WHARF
Winter Lights returned to Canary Wharf towers. Get down to check out dazzling artworks, installations and interactive experiences from local international artists. Move fast… this treat for the eyes is only running until January 27th. Find out more info here.
IMMERSIVE GIN EXPERIENCE
Gin lovers, rejoice! A new Thomas Dakin Gin Distillery is coming to Manchester. The distillery will contain a number of experiential and personalised moments, including a gin bar, an Instagrammable area for events and other entertainment elements.
Construction has already begun on the distillery with plans for it to open early Autumn – we can’t wait! For more info click here.

ALCOHOL FREE BAR
Ireland’s first permanent non-alcoholic bar opens next month on Capel Street. ‘The Virgin Mary’ bar promises all the craic of a regular bar, minus the booze.
Ireland has a lack of spaces that don’t sell alcohol and there’s a growing population of people who want to socialise without drinking. Irish Non-alcoholic drink sales rose 1200% between Nov 2018 and Jan 2019. For more info on the booze free bar click here.

CAMPAIGN WATCH
QUICK BREW FOR THE ROAD?
Yorkshire Tea is hitting the road for Independent Music Week. The campaign aims to promote the brand among music fans, rocking up to various music venues and giving out “a proper brew”.
The activity ties into Independent Venue Weeks “Where does the music take you” campaign, encouraging music lovers to visit cities and venues they haven’t been before. For more info click here.

KIA SUPERBOWL AD
Kia Motors recently debuted their 30 second teaser for it’s upcoming commercial for the Super Bowl, and this year they’re doing things differently. Instead of using celebrity endorsements the brand are putting funds into their “Great Unknown Scholarship” campaign that aims to help young people in need of access to higher education
The theme of ‘Goodvertising’ is particularly strong in January. With ever growing criticism about how brands splurge, fans will become more demanding when it comes to what they give back. For more info click here.
GILLETTE – THE BEST MEN CAN BE
The most talked about ad of the week shows us that whether you agree with the message or not, advertising can still get people talking. Did they alienate some of their core target or really appeal to their female household purchasers? We’ll let you decide… Find out more info click here.
TRENDS TRACKING
DRY JANUARY
In 2014 there were 17,000 mentions of #DryJanuary on social media. This year the number has already exceeded 4.2 million. This trend builds on part of a larger trend for responsible consumption and health conscious consumers.
It’s also led to the emergence of alcohol free drinks such as Pure Brew and Seedlip. Offering consumers the opportunity to enjoy their night out without the dreaded FEAR. For more info click here.

GETTING IN TOUCH WITH NATURE
New major tourism opportunities opening up in Dublin. Failte Ireland is hoping to create the same success for Ireland’s waterways as it has the Wild Atlantic Way. A good opportunity for brands to tap into the aspirational lifestyle trend and meet people’s desire to get back into nature. For more info click here.

WORD OF THE WEEK

Virtue Signalling – The public expression of opinions that show one’s own good character or moral correctness. Can be good. Can be annoying.