Guinness is perhaps Ireland's most famous brand and is known all over the world - in fact even more of it is consumed in Nigeria than Ireland.

It has a long and proud history, dating back to Arthur Guinness's original brewing of ales at his Dublin brewery in the nineteenth century. In the course of creating the drink, the brewery pioneered several quality control techniques.

Collectible Guinness paraphernalia include mugs, glasses, metal signs, posters and banners.

The brand has produced a number of iconic images over the years. Whilst its emblem, the harp of Brian Boru (very similar to the image used in Ireland's coat of arms) is well-recognised, other images such as the Toucan, and slogans including 'Good things come to those who wait' are arguably even more so.

The latter was used in the 1999 commercial Surfer, named in a UK poll as the greatest ad of all time.

The classic Toucan images (along with rarer images of other animals) appeared in the 1930s and '40s. The bird was preferred because it allowed a pun.

Following market research in the 1920s suggesting people felt good after a pint of Guinness, the 1940s jingle ran Toucans in their nests agree/Guinness is good for you/Try some today and see/What one or toucan do.

Guinness no longer use the phrase 'Guinness is good for you' in the British Isles as it implies a health benefit, though the slogan still appears further abroad.

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