Morleys Turn on the Style

28th Sep 2009

Morleys Turn on the Style

Congratulations to Morley's Men's Outfitters on Daunt Square as the winners of the best window display competition in support of all the Cork teams who reached their respective finals.

With flags hanging from the upper floors of the building and a fantastic display in their shop window the staff must be congratulated for their sterling efforts. They win a night out at The Kiln in Murphy's Brewery for staff and friends.

Three weeks ago PROC and the Cork Business Association appealed to city centre businesses to show support for the three Cork senior teams who had reached their finals: Mens footballers playing Kerry, the Cork camogie team against Kilkenny and the Cork ladies footballers who took on Dublin.

PROC distributed supporters packs to most of the stores that support a similar campaign in 2007 - approximately 40 shops in total got flags and bunting to kick start their shop windows.

Within a few days most stores had some red and white added to their window displays with only a handful of stores like the new Dunnes Stores failing to participate.

Super creative efforts were made by a number of stores however. The Car Phone Warehouse (opposite Marks & Spencers), Debenhams, Gentlemen's Quarters, Zerep and The Travel Shop put in a great effort but in the end there could only be one winner.

Fair play to Morley's and we hope that there's another challenge for the best supporting business again next year!

PROC would also like to thank the endeavour, energy and enthusiasm of Mr. Donal Healy, chief executive of the Cork Business Association for his invaluable help and support.

Without this proud Cork man's genuine understanding of why businesses need to stay in touch with the cultural aspects of the city this may not have been possible. Dowtcha!

AH SURE LADS, WHATS THE BIG DEAL OVER A FEW FLAGS?!

Here's the cultural philosophy part, sham. A flag is a symbol. In a quickly globalising world big business gets bigger and the smaller ones get squeezed. On Patrick Street big international brand names are now commonplace and while there are benefits in terms of price the bigger the business is, the more disconnected from the local community it can be.

Shop windows, instore promotions and sponsorships can often be controlled entirely by powerful head offices in Dublin or London - far removed from Leeside. To Corkonians who have a very strong heritage and are vehemently proud of their county, big business can seem coldly corporate in this, often vast, disconnection.

When we contacted the head office in Dublin of a well known Patrick Street fashion outlet enquiring as to why the store manager wasn't allowed to support Cork teams with flags in the shop window, the (Irish) person we spoke to did not even know where the All-Ireland football final would be played not to mind who would be in it.

"It's a gaelic soccer match in Cork is it?", she innocently enquired in her Dublin 4 tone. To be fair, after some pressure, she eventually made "an exception" and the store ran with plenty flags and all staff wore Cork jerseys for the weekend of the men's final.

In the ever quickening race to globalise their brands, big businesses sometimes need to be reminded of the benefits of acknowledging local customs and traditions.

Customers always warm to the idea that the staff in a store are allowed to express their cultural identity, or at least, their sporting preferences. Allowing staff to acknowledge major local events like Cork getting to an All-Ireland final is a bigger deal than you'd think. It gives a store some personality for one.

It contributes to the image that the business is not solely a money grabbing machine whose profits are immediately dispatched to latté-sipping shareholders in some far flung destination. Instead it may be seen as an employer, a provider, a sponsor, a contributor.

By supporting the county's GAA teams in their respective finals, businesses are stating that they acknowledge the local community's identity and that they are not only aware but contributing to the bond between Cork people. By hanging a Cork flag in the window they are helping to unite a tribe by signaling they are part of it.

Simply put the flag says: come in and do business here. We're one of you.