Jeweller Jonathan Styles who appears in new TV advert for Enniskillen
DOES a 20 second-long advert do the picturesque Island town of Enniskillen justice and merit £18,000 in costs?
That’s the question we at the Herald have been asking. For those who have yet to see it Enniskillen has been adorned on our television screens, with an advert currently airing on UTV.
The two day shoot, shot by Richard Watson, who specialises in commercial advertising covered a number of different retail hot-spots around Enniskillen including Erneside Shopping Centre, The Buttermarket, Graham’s Menswear, Shuphoric, Mercers Jewellers as well as a final shot of the Lough Erne Resort.
Taking to social media we asked the Facebook community whether they thought it was money well spent or a missed opportunity.
The answers as you can imagine were as varied as the people who made them.
Belmore Court felt it was a ‘great advert and much overdue’, Dessie Dolan said: ‘Ad looks great, portrayed the town well!’ and Sharon Patricia Loane reckoned it showed Enniskillen as a ‘good place to shop’.
Others however questioned the cost, including Sinead Cassidy who said: “£18,000 for that?
That could have been 12 months wages of work to someone that really needed that money not to waste on a 20 second advertisement for Enniskillen which has a lot more on offer than that advert showed”
Another underlying theme from the comments was the missed opportunity to use local film makers.
Marty Jones commented: “There are plenty of talented people actually from Enniskillen – photographers/ videographers/producers/camera men (and women) who would have been more than capable of producing a quality ad and who would have known the town’s best bits because they actually live here! I’m all for an ad, but surely the money would have been better put back into the community than farmed out to someone up the country?
The best bits of Enniskillen by a Belfast bloke doesn’t seem right. Maybe I’m wrong…”
Criticism was also levelled at the Enniskillen slogan from the ad – ‘Enniskillen – A place apart’, with Mark Allen asking what it actually meant.
When asked about the ad local Sinn Fein councillor told the Herald he hoped it would encourage people to shop local, but ultimately time would tell if it was a success.
“Anything that promotes Enniskillen and Fermanagh, if it works will obviously be of great value for many.
“Really though we won’t know until February and March and speak to the shop keepers and business people of Fermanagh.”
When asked about the new logo and slogan for Enniskillen Mr Greene explained there was considerable debate within the council and with traders before a final decision was made.
“It wasn’t just a rash decision nor was it just councillors. Everyone has their opinion on the logo, but I think the majority of people making the decision felt it was the best they had seen from the options. Hopefully the whole marketing package will work and will provide a boost for our traders.”
The money allocated towards the Christmas advert and logo was part of marketing funding acquired by Fermanagh District Council from the Department of Social Development.
“At November’s council meeting it was announced the cost for the ad was £18,000, but there is no clear indication how much the logo cost.
“The DSD budget for marketing totalled £113,000, but includes a number of different initiatives to promote Enniskillen.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere