‘Branding’ branded bonkers by plain-speaking Colette

Bradley Bytes – a sort of political column with Dara Bradley

Colette Connolly blew a gasket. Nothing new there, but this was more spectacular than usual.

The Deputy Mayor hadn’t participated in the Zoom City Council meeting using video, so she could only be heard, not seen. But the suspicion was that her arms were flapping and eyes rolling as she spoke during a debate on the Council’s Annual Service Plan 2021.

What had her so exercised was reference to a new “branding initiative” for Galway.

“Work will also progress on Galway’s Marketing Strategy and the City’s proposed Branding initiative,” the plan said.

It was one sentence in a 102-page report but it triggered an allergic reaction in the Independent councillor.

Colette doesn’t do corporate speak; she doesn’t tolerate PR bullshit. And so, to learn that the Council was actively pursuing a policy of ‘branding’ her native city, sent her into convulsions.

“Sweet mother of good God,” she thundered. “A branding initiative? The public don’t need a branding initiative. We don’t need to brand Galway City!”

She then told everyone what Galway did need. “More equality. More fairness. More services. More public accountability,” she said, with an incredulous tone in her voice that suggested they should know this already.

“We’re not a commercial enterprise . . . we’re in the business of providing public services!”

Director of Services, Brian Barrett, replied on behalf of management at City Hall, using a variation of an opening line that his colleagues had already used at least four times during the meeting: “I have to disagree with Councillor Connolly . . .”

He then proceeded to justify the “branding initiative” while using the same corporate-speak (“it’s a key element for recovery . . .”) that had driven Colette to despair in the first place.

It may drive officials cracked but railing against ‘business-speak’ will do no harm to ‘Brand Colette’ among voters.
For more Bradley Bytes, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.