Dispute over posters and publicity between colleges
INTER-COLLEGE relations between Halifax and Goodricke have taken a down turn, following a recent spat over event publicity.
A Halifax advert placed on the Student Union’s website and in Daily Info has provoked some criticism from Goodricke for it’s “negative publicity.”
The advert uses the following slogan to entice students to their live music night, Xtra: “the definitive club night …Tickets £3.50 include a FREE DRINK for everyone who enters before 10pm (that’s 50p less than G spot which doesn’t include a free drink).’’
SU Ents Officer Jane Blackman commented at last weeks Ent’s meeting that this anti-Goodricke publicity appears ill advised at a time when campus events are receiving criticism from Commercial Services. She added that with the imminent threat of campus bar closures, “colleges should be working together and not against each other.”
One of the Halifax Bar Reps, James Hallam, responded to the controversy saying, “Any anti-Goodricke publicity was not perpetrated by Giles or myself. Xtra has been fairly heavily publicised through positive advertising, and the general response around Halifax seems to have been very good.”
He advised those organising future events in JJ’s: “Please keep any ents publicity neutral unless it has been run by Giles or myself first. Negative ents publicity looks petty and simplistic.’’
Halifax Ents Officers also agreed that the publicity was not appropriate. Kenn True, one of the Officers, commented at Ents Committee: “We don’t know anything about it but we would really like to apologise if it’s upset anyone.”
Relations between the two colleges reached a particular low point when posters advertising a Goodricke event were sent back from Halifax with a sarcastic note.
A few days after posting them all over campus, the Goodricke Chair, Colin Hindson, found them in his pigeon-hole with the anonymous message.
It stated that the Goodricke posters must have “got lost” in Halifax and that they should be “embarrassed” to advertise the Goodricke event.
Despite the problems with publicity, the Goodricke event sold 201 tickets.
(Heloise Wood – Deputy Editor)
