Grumpy Cat’s owner sues coffee firm, Tiger Beer recycling campaign fail: International round-up

Plus Angry Birds’ developer partners with NFL on a Super Bowl-themed twist and Irish marketers plan to up their spend in 2018.

Owner of internet favourite ‘Grumpy Cat’ wins six-figure pay-out

Remember Grumpy Cat? The moody feline who rose to internet fame in 2012 due to its permanent frown.

Well, her owner has just been awarded a staggering $710,000 (£498,000) in damages for copyright and trademark infringement after successfully suing US coffee company Grenade Beverage for exceeding an agreement regarding the pet’s image.

Tabatha Bundesen struck a deal with the coffee company, which allowed it to use the scowling feline’s image to help promote its Grumpy Cat ‘Grumppuccino’ drink, but the company was found to be using its image on other products.

While the coffee business tried to counter-sue, the jury supported Grumpy Cat, whose lawyer said it was the first time an internet meme had won a court case.

Grumpy Cat has 1.42 million followers on Twitter, 2.4 million on Instagram and almost nine million likes on Facebook.

Moral of the story? Don’t mess with a cat with a frown.

READ MORE: Grumpy Cat wins $710,000 payout in copyright lawsuit. 

The irony of Tiger Beer’s pro-recycling campaign

Tiger Beer has partnered with Singapore’s informal waste traders known as the ‘rag-and-bone’ (Karung Guni) men in order to encourage the small nation to declutter their homes and recycle.

The majority of Singapore’s waste is incinerated and sent to landfill – just 7% of the city’s plastic waste is actually recycled.

As part of the ‘Recycle with the Tiger’ campaign, the beer-giant will go door-knocking alongside the rag-and-bone men, asking locals in the Toa Payoh and Jurong West districts to handover unwanted items, from newspapers to clothing and even electronics, which will be recycled or reused.

It all sounds like a good enough idea in theory, but there’s an ironic catch. Tiger wants to reward recyclers for their efforts with a metal keyring encased in plastic packaging promoting “the ultimate Tiger brewery experience”.

That’s right. More, plastic.

Tiger Beer is also running a Facebook contest, winners of which will be sent merchandise and prizes, again potentially adding more clutter to the homes they want to declutter.

 

READ MORE: Tiger Beer partners rag-and-bone men to revive recycling culture in Singapore.

Angry Birds’ developer partners with NFL for Super Bowl twist

Angry Birds and NFL might sound like an odd pairing, but fans of both can rejoice as they have joined forces to combine two of the world’s most popular games.

For a limited time only, mobile gamers can play the Angry Birds 2 and Angry Birds Evolution Super Bowl LII games with a sporty twist, just in time for the Super Bowl itself.

Miika Tams, vice-president of games at Rovio Entertainment, maker of Angry Birds, said: “This is another great demonstration of the versatility of the Angry Birds brand as we spark the imaginations of millions of football fans globally.”

As part of the Angry Birds 2 update, football fans can dress their birds in any of the 32 official NFL jerseys and helmets throughout a series of completely new Super Bowl-themed levels.

 

The Super Bowl LII in-game events will run on both Angry Birds 2 and Angry Birds Evolution until Super Bowl Sunday on 4 February.

READ MORE: Angry Birds goes full NFL ahead of Super Bowl LII.

Ireland is the fastest growing economy in the EU

Despite 30% of Irish marketers saying they believe Brexit will have a negative impact in 2018, Ireland is expected to be the fastest growing economy in the EU.

According to MediaCom’s ‘Ireland’s Marketing Sentiment’ survey, more than a third of Irish marketers are planning to up their marketing spend this year. However, the ad market is still forecast to lag behind the nation’s overall economic growth.

The survey of 249 marketing decision-makers also shows ‘increasing brand awareness’ as a key area for investment, followed by using social media to drive sales. Although social media use experienced a decline on last year’s figures (33% in 2018 compared to 39% in 2017), likely due to brand safety, fake news, and third party verification.

Additionally, there is a need for greater clarity around GDPR, with a third of marketing decision-makers confessing they still do not fully understand the implications that the new regulations will have on their business.

Aussie liquor retailer releases range of wine in cans

Australian retailer BWS, owned by Woolworths, has released a range of wines in a can as it believes they are more suitable for social gatherings and special events, compared to their glass bottle counterparts, particularly for events like barbecues.

The retailer hopes it will encourage consumers to try a number of different wine varieties, which can be “matched to food for the occasion”.

It is also honing-in on waste, suggesting by purchasing cans consumers don’t risk having to throw away an unfinished bottle of wine.

Cans are available in singles and four packs, and have a shelf-life of two years.

READ MORE: BWS now sells wine so you can sip your vino from a tinnie.

 

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