Innis & Gunn left a branded van loaded with its much sought-after pint glasses unattended and wide open to the public today, making way for them all to be, ahem, ‘borrowed’.
In just 32 minutes, glass enthusiasts in the capital pinched all 1,000 of the distinctive glasses which have surged in popularity since 2013.
Our lager van is being left unattended in Edinburgh. It would be simply awful if what's in the back was “borrowed”…https://t.co/6BfVHo37g4
— Innis & Gunn UK (@innisandgunnUK) May 17, 2017
The genius marketing move comes a week after the Evening Times reported on how the Edinburgh-based company was poking fun at light-fingered Scots by revealing how many of the glasses have gone ‘missing’ over the last four years.
Since its lager launched - along with a pretty nifty glass range - the company has calculated that over 77,000 of them have gone AWOL.
Broken down even further, this equates to a staggering 19,250 every year*.
It's true #DrinkItIn pic.twitter.com/CQFPgwRDt4
— Innis & Gunn UK (@innisandgunnUK) May 9, 2017
Oh wow, 120 glasses gone in 8 minutes. It's becoming less the Grassmarket and more the Glassmarket! #TheBigPinch
— Innis & Gunn UK (@innisandgunnUK) May 17, 2017
@innisandgunnUK Thanks for the extended loan of some quality glasses!
— Andrew Williams (@ajwillia_ms) May 17, 2017
Absolutely gutted to be missing out on this thievery! https://t.co/jMLLa9FpwZ
— Jason Davidson (@jasond1988) May 17, 2017
Nearly a thousand glasses 'borrowed' in 32 minutes. Edinburgh, you've impressed us #TheBigPinch
— Innis & Gunn UK (@innisandgunnUK) May 17, 2017
The majority of the ‘borrowing’ has happened in Central Scotland, with Edinburgh and Glasgow being the biggest culprits, hence why the van appeared in the capital today.
The Evening Times has contacted the Innis & Gunn team to see if a similar move will take place in Glasgow also. After all, we’ve ‘borrowed’ just as many as our Edinburgh counterparts - and definitely deserve the same treatment.
One Twitter user, Andy Reilly from Glasgow, did, however, challenge the Innis & Gunn team further.
@innisandgunnUK @TheGolfBadger In Glasgow, I'm not convinced you'd even need to leave the van doors open!! This city loves a blag, a drink and a freebie - no problem!
— Andy Reilly (@andysays78) May 17, 2017
The figures came just as the company launched a tongue-in-cheek ad campaign taking the mick out of the situation.
Entitled ‘Drink It In’, billboards across the country are telling the public of the most “borrowed” glass out there at the moment.
Jane Cannon, head of marketing at Innis & Gunn, described how the inspiration for the campaign came from having an inherent Scottish outlook that is reflected in the attitude of Scottish drinkers.
She added: “We wanted to celebrate the idiosyncrasy of our home city of Edinburgh in a unique way.
“We hope drinkers enjoy the campaign.”
*Figures are based on requests from pubs that have been supplied with the glassware.
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