Blue Monday (date)
Encyclopedia
Blue Monday is a name given to a date stated, as part of a publicity campaign by Sky Travel
, to be the most depressing day of the year.
This date was published in a press release under the name of Cliff Arnall, at the time a tutor at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, a Further Education centre attached to Cardiff University
. Guardian columnist Dr. Ben Goldacre
reported that the press release was delivered substantially pre-written to a number of academics by public relations
agency Porter Novelli
, who offered them money to put their names to it. The Guardian later printed a statement from Cardiff University distancing themselves from Arnall: "Cardiff University has asked us to point out that Cliff Arnall... was a former part-time tutor at the university but left in February."
According to a press release by a mental health charity, the formula is:
where weather=W, debt=d, time since Christmas=T, time since failing our new year’s resolutions=Q, low motivational levels=M and the feeling of a need to take action=Na. 'D' is not defined in the release, nor are units.
Arnall says the date was calculated by using many factors, including: weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action.
Writing about the calculation, Ben Goldacre stated: ... the fact is that Cliff Arnall's equations ... fail even to make mathematical sense on their own terms.
This date allegedly falls on the Monday of the last full week of January. The date was declared by Arnall to be 24 January in 2005, 23 January in 2006, 22 January in 2007, 21 January in 2008, 19 January in 2009, 18 January in 2010. In 2011 there has been confusion about the correct date. Some claimed it was on 17 January 2011 while others say blue Monday was on 24 January 2011.
Mr Arnall also says, in a press release commissioned by Wall's ice cream
, that he has calculated the happiest day of the year—in 2005, 24 June, in 2006, 23 June, in 2008, 20 June, in 2009, 19 June and in 2010, 18th June. So far, this date has fallen close to Midsummer
.
Sky Travel
Sky Real Lives was an in-house channel from BSkyB that showed extensive programmes about travel, adverts for travel agencies and documentaries. The channels closed on 19 August 2010.-History:...
, to be the most depressing day of the year.
This date was published in a press release under the name of Cliff Arnall, at the time a tutor at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, a Further Education centre attached to Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
. Guardian columnist Dr. Ben Goldacre
Ben Goldacre
Ben Michael Goldacre born 1974 is a British science writer, doctor and psychiatrist. He is the author of The Guardian newspaper's weekly Bad Science column and a book of the same title, published by Fourth Estate in September 2008....
reported that the press release was delivered substantially pre-written to a number of academics by public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
agency Porter Novelli
Porter Novelli
Porter Novelli is a public relations firm that is part of Omnicom Group. Its original clients were primarily social causes and nonprofit organizations. Today, the company works in crisis management, health care, technology, corporate affairs, consumer marketing, and more. The company has...
, who offered them money to put their names to it. The Guardian later printed a statement from Cardiff University distancing themselves from Arnall: "Cardiff University has asked us to point out that Cliff Arnall... was a former part-time tutor at the university but left in February."
According to a press release by a mental health charity, the formula is:
where weather=W, debt=d, time since Christmas=T, time since failing our new year’s resolutions=Q, low motivational levels=M and the feeling of a need to take action=Na. 'D' is not defined in the release, nor are units.
Arnall says the date was calculated by using many factors, including: weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action.
Writing about the calculation, Ben Goldacre stated: ... the fact is that Cliff Arnall's equations ... fail even to make mathematical sense on their own terms.
This date allegedly falls on the Monday of the last full week of January. The date was declared by Arnall to be 24 January in 2005, 23 January in 2006, 22 January in 2007, 21 January in 2008, 19 January in 2009, 18 January in 2010. In 2011 there has been confusion about the correct date. Some claimed it was on 17 January 2011 while others say blue Monday was on 24 January 2011.
Mr Arnall also says, in a press release commissioned by Wall's ice cream
Wall's (company)
Wall's is a United Kingdom-originated food brand, covering both meat products and ice cream, owned by Unilever. Founded in London in 1786 by butcher Richard Wall, it was acquired in 1922 by Lever Brothers, which became a part of Unilever in 1930. To avoid summer lay-offs due to the down turn in its...
, that he has calculated the happiest day of the year—in 2005, 24 June, in 2006, 23 June, in 2008, 20 June, in 2009, 19 June and in 2010, 18th June. So far, this date has fallen close to Midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
.
External links
- BBC pages referencing Blue Monday 2005 2009
- AJC page for Blue Monday