Recognise your fellow Mumsnetters by nominating your favourite Mumsnet user to win Silent Pool gin

[AbbiCMumsnet]

To tie in with their new #FortheSpirited campaign, Silent Pool Gin is on a quest to unearth the UK’s most spirited characters – and the search starts right here. For two months, the award-winning distillers will be celebrating the spirit of Mumsnet by getting you to nominate the users who you think show the most – well – spirit. They'll be giving one bottle of gin per week to a winning Mumsnet user. In addition, if your nominee wins, you'll also receive a shopping voucher worth £30..

Here’s what Silent Pool Gin have to say:
“For the spirited. Three small words that capture the essence of Silent Pool Gin. It represents our independent mindset and our uncompromising commitment to producing a gin with a refreshingly individual character.

For the spirited is about following your own path. Embracing life and living for the best things it has to offer. It’s about doing something kind, inspiring, creative, different. Could be finally handing in your notice, booking that round-the-world trip, starting that new Japanese course or even just deciding to make your very first post on AIBU.

Whatever your version of ‘spirited' is, we applaud you. However, applause only gets you so far, so to officially recognise the wonderful achievements of the Mumsnet community, we are launching the Silent Pool Gin For the Spirited award. Each week, one lucky Mumsnet member will be recognised as a kindred spirit and will win one bottle of Silent Pool Gin.

Also we’d love to hear your spirited stories so please tag us in at #forthespirited @silentpoolgin”

There's no such thing as a best Mumsnet user but you probably have your favourite(s). Is there someone: Whose posts you always read? Who brightens your days and whose views keep you glued to the screen? Who has given you priceless advice, yet you wouldn't know from Adam in real life?

Every week for two months, Silent Pool will be giving the #FortheSpirited award to one lucky Mumsnet user – with the prize of a bottle of gin. Simply nominate your favourite Mumsnet user on the discussion thread and they'll be in with a chance of winning. In turn, if your nominee wins, you'll also receive a £30 voucher. Win, win (gin) .

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

[EDITED BY MNHQ TO INCLUDE FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE DESPATCH OF PRIZES]

Terms and conditions of prize draw:
Activity specific T&Cs: Mumsnet will run a random prize draw once per week. The nominees within the winning entries will be contacted via email or PM to inform them of the win, and to ask if they would like to receive the prize. A non-alcoholic prize will also be available if desired. To receive an alcoholic prize, nominees will need to provide a copy of photographic ID to Mumsnet (eg a photograph of a passport or driving licence), as well as a physical name and address for the prize to be dispatched to. The name and address will be shared with Silent Pool Gin, with the user's permission. Mumsnet will dispose of this information within one week of users' receipt of the prize. Posters of the winning entries will be emailed by Mumsnet to inform them of the win, and to give them the opportunity to choose the voucher they would like. Their name and email address, with the user's permission, will be shared with Mumsnet's voucher fulfilment company for the purposes of ordering the voucher. Voucher winner's details will be retained for audit purposes. Winner's details will be used for the purpose of the prize draw and prize delivery only, and not for any other marketing purpose. Standard Mumsnet T&Cs can be found here.

[POST EDITED BY MNHQ to remove language around 'courage' and 'bravery']

Datum for her endless patience. Well, not quite endless...

Too many to choose. We should all get gin.

Interesting to look at the opening post alongside the ASA's guidance for marketing communications relating to alcohol:

www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/18.html

Alcohol must not be portrayed as capable of changing mood, physical condition or behaviour

It’s about doing something brave, kind, inspiring, creative, different

*Marketing communications must neither [ ...] link alcohol with brave, tough or daring people or behaviour.

Could be finally handing in your notice, booking that round-the-world trip, starting that new Japanese course or even just plucking up the courage to make your very first post on AIBU.

@MNHQ Please can you comment on whether you believe the way you are marketing this gin is in line with the ASA guidelines quoted above?

I ask not as someone who is anti-alcohol - I enjoy a modest drink - but as someone who has lived with an alcoholic who experienced delusions of grandeur very much in line with the above sentiments.

There are lots of people who say what I would like to so much better than I ever could and I haven't been here long enough to know who is who but even I have been impressed by anyfucker so nominate her.

@PreparingForDisappointment But those are guidelines from the Advertising Standards Association. This would be classified as PR/promotions, rather than communications, I think.

ASA also states:

"18.2 Marketing communications must not claim or imply that alcohol can enhance confidence or popularity." (Emphasis mine)

Also

18.15 "Marketing communications must not be directed at people under 18 ..." Mumsnet doesn't appear to have a minimum age requirement for signing up. How do we know we aren't recommending an under18? Presumably you will have the winners prove they're over 18?

If MN promoting a gin company isn't marketing communications... Then want is?

@BIWI But the ASA guidelines are there for a reason - to avoid alcohol being promoted as something it isn't and thus tempting people to drink for unhealthy reasons - e.g. as a 'cure' for low self-esteem, lack of confidence etc.

I agree it's unlikely MN would use material that's illegal but I think they should adhere to the spirit of the guidelines.

Talking about gin giving you the courage to hand in your notice at work is downright irresponsible. Are they suggesting you should quit your job when you're drunk? Or are they suggesting that it's likely ongoing drinking will enhance your general ability to make the right choices and 'pluck up courage' to do these things?

Because I can tell you it won't. If anything, people are more likely to make wise and confident choices when they cut down or give up drinking.

Promote the gin because it tastes nice - fine!
Promote the gin because it does what alcohol does - temporarily lowers your inhibitions and induces a short-lived feeling of well-being - fine!
Promote the gin as making you more creative, courageous, inclined to start a new job or learn a new language etc. - not right at all - an out and out lie.

Not sure - this probably qualifies as a competition, or something!

@redtoothbrush for me, for the wise and witty threads which help me understand politics a bit

Ooof, that’s cynical manipulation of the ‘favourite MNer’ threads they previously frowned on so much! Dodging the ASA by saying but it’s a priiiizzzzze for the bestest MNers!

Weird thread. Love to know what the deletions said.

The site is too big now.

00100001 In fairness, I read the guidelines as meaning alcohol marketing shouldn't be 'directed' at u.18s in the sense that it shouldn't be placed in locations primarily frequented by that age-group, or depict alcohol being drunk by age-group or in conjunction with activities mainly associated with that age-group. I don't think MN are at fault there, as u.18s might see general alcohol advertising anywhere. It's the irresponsibility of the message which I think is wrong.

@PreparingForDisappointment. I think you'd find it really hard to prove that they're saying that gin does all of those things though.

BIWI

There's an illustration saying: Silent Pool Gin For the Spirited

Then the OP says:

For the spirited is about following your own path. Embracing life and living for the best things it has to offer. It’s about doing something brave, kind, inspiring, creative, different. Could be finally handing in your notice, booking that round-the-world trip, starting that new Japanese course or even just plucking up the courage to make your very first post on AIBU.

I struggle to see how else you'd interpret this other than 'people who do those things drink this gin'.

And I'm not really trying to 'prove' this as such - I'm not about to contact the ASA. I'm just drawing MNHQ's attention to the fact I believe the way they are promoting this gin is irresponsible, whether or not it's compliant with the law.

Well yes, but - and it's important - it's not saying that gin will make you those things. That's what the ASA code is about.

I would like to nominate @Flossie44 because she is lovely and kind and amazing. And has a poorly dc and never ever moans about how fucking unfair that is.

By inference, it is saying that. What do you think it is saying?

Is it saying: "By the way, we thought we'd tell you there are some courageous and creative people out there who hand their notices in and learn a new language, and we call them 'the spirited'."

"In totally unrelated news, we're offering some gin called 'the spirited' to prizewinners on this thread."

I'm nominating @LassOfFyvie, for being brave enough to be spirited and different on MN.

@EatShitDerek for always making me howl with laughter.

An honourable mention to @BertrandRussell and @Anyfucker though for intelligent insight and sound advice respectively.

BIWI ASA says "Marketing communications must not claim or imply that alcohol can enhance confidence or popularity."
And
"Marketing communications must neither show, imply, encourage or refer to aggression or unruly, irresponsible or anti-social behaviour nor link alcohol with brave, tough or daring people or behaviour"

This is is exactly what this is doing.

By saying that this Gin is "for the spirited" and then going on to say "For the spirited is about following your own path. Embracing life and living for the best things it has to offer. It’s about doing something brave, kind, inspiring, creative, different. Could be finally handing in your notice, booking that round-the-world trip, starting that new Japanese course or even just plucking up the courage to make your very first post on AIBU."

I'd nominate @R0wantrees for encyclopedic knowledge of her specialist subjects and @TinselAngel for the support she provides to a particularly isolated demographic.

I'd suggest @Datun but she's already been suggested by loads of people.

This thread has gone bonkers.

EatShitDerek hasn't posted under that name for years, how can you still be howling?