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St Patrick’s Day shenanigans

Everyone becomes a little bit Irish on St Patrick’s Day. And plenty of brands do too. Here’s a rundown of some of the best efforts from here and around the world. ​

2degrees got into the St Paddy’s spirit by lighting up the Auckland Harbour Bridge green as part of its ‘Play the Bridge’ light show last night.

2degrees head of marketing communications Trent Harnett said: “2degrees Play the Bridge is all about using technology to connect people and bring a fun event to our community. We’d like to thank NZTA and the Auckland City Council for giving us special permission to light the bridge static green tonight for Ireland’s National Day. We hope everyone enjoys the day.”

As per usual, the Sky Tower also joined in the fun and lit itself up green. And that was the first part of Guinness’s effort to green 150 monuments around the world. Other global landmarks included Cibeles fountain and palace in Madrid, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House, plus many more

According to the Otago Daily Times, the taps of Guinness were flowing as revellers took to the streets (and pubs) to bask in the celebration.

“We’ve had some people saying they’ve taken the day off, and others have taken half days. Some have just come in for their lunch break and they’re heading back to work after,” she told the publication. Ten kegs of Guinness were brought in to one Irish pub in Auckland to meet demand this Saint Patrick’s Day. Guinness was “flying out the door” at Father Ted’s Original Irish Pub, Shauna Finnegan said, and the ten kegs would be drunk.

Nearly four times as much Guinness is poured on March 17 as it is on a normal day, although, as The Economist points out, focusing on national holidays may not be such a good strategy as sales are down. As such, Guinness is trying to convince people to drink it in different ways and it also launched Guinness Blonde, leading to much rolling in graves. 

Jameson has claimed a first with the first 3D ad to feature on Instagram and Facebook “and the first hyper-targeted Facebook campaign to reach consumers by a specific bar”

Slide this shot of Jameson to your drinking buddy #LongLiveTheShot

A video posted by Jameson Whiskey (@jameson_us) on

NZME’s iHeartRadio cranked on a special St Patrick’s Day playlist, which included Irish music and Irish sports.

Tourism organisation Visit Ireland created a video to prove that though the world turns green on St Patrick’s Day, Ireland is always green. The video is narrated by Irish actor Liam Neeson.

Sports brand New Balance gave a Guinness the barista treatment and posted the results to Twitter.

And as was to be expected, Google also got in on the action by producing yet another Google Doodle centred on the event. 

  

Further afield, for the first time in the Boston St Patrick’s Day Parade’s 114-year history, gay groups have been allowed to march.

The Chicago River was also turned green for St Patrick’s Day, as it is every year. Hundreds of spectators watched the ceremony, an annual event which kicked off a weekend of celebrations.

Watch the Chicago river turn green for St. Patrick’s Day. Photo: @AP_Images http://t.co/Ao0qOSQ4kN pic.twitter.com/5ZgE47iLLw

— TIME.com (@TIME) March 17, 2015

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