Irish ski firm criticised for Geordie advert

DIRECTSKI, THE Irish-based skiing holiday company, has been criticised for an advertising campaign in the United Kingdom which boasts of the company’s ambition to make skiing more affordable for everyone “even Geordies”.

The advertisement, carried in British publications but not those circulating in the northeast, has provoked Newcastle City Council’s ire: “It is one joke too far. We are disappointed that this company is pedalling an informed vision based on outdated stereotypes,” said a spokeswoman.

The advertisement features a skier along with a Saint Bernard dog, accompanied by a quote from Directski’s founder, Mr Antony Collins, where he states: “I have a dream to make skiing affordable for all . . . even Geordies.”

Conservative MEP for the north-east of England, Martin Callanan said: “This is a disappointing and outdated southern impression of Geordies which is still prevalent. The truth is many already enjoy skiing – they just don’t go with this company.”

Neal Collins, the marketing manager of Directski, which is based in Blanchardstown in Dublin, said it regretted if anyone in the northeast had found the advertisement to be offensive, saying that it was a genuine attempt to get more people interested in skiing.

“All the research shows that people ski less in the northeast than they do anywhere else and it’s fair to assume that is down to the average financial status in the north of England. We are not poking fun at the economic situation in the region.”

“We are an Irish company – and Ireland isn’t in a strong position financially,” he said.

Despite Newcastle City Council’s irritation, the UK Advertising Standards Authority said it cannot investigate, because nobody has yet lodged a complaint.

Meanwhile, a London-based translation firm has been inundated with applications after it sought “Geordie” translators to help foreign and southern English businesspeople to carry out deals in the region.

Several hundred people applied – many using the local dialect in their application letters – to Today Translations, according to the firm’s managing director, said Jurga Zilinskiene: “Foreign visitors need to understand real accents in all parts of the UK, not just middle-class accents in the southeast,” he said, adding businesspeople have said that they have struggled to understand up to now.

In its job advertisement, which closed for applications on Friday, Today Translations said “Translation firm seeks speakers of Geordie English, familiar with its vocabulary, slang, accent, nuances, to meet interpreting needs of clients who find it an unexpected challenge.”