Research and insights are largely one and the same, so say B&A’s Ian McShane and Luke Reaper and they explain why to Michael Cullen Is market research endangered? Not that the systematic practice of gathering and interpreting information to get closer to people is likely to go the way of the dodo any time soon […]
Articles Archive

Denoting returns from PR
Dr Martina Byrne outlines the role public relations has in promoting the bottom line Whisper it, but PR is not successful because it generates media coverage and mentions on social networks. It is successful because of what it contributes to the delivery of an organisation’s objectives. Depending on the organisation, those objectives could be sales, […]

Agencies must pull together
Patrick McConville on why agencies need to work in tandem to move forward The very first episode of Mad Men ends with the main character Don Draper returning home to his family after a long day at the office. As he kisses his young daughter Sally good night the soundtrack of ‘The Street Where You […]

Pieta House CEO named top marketer
Brian Higgins is no ordinary marketer. In fact, one could question if he should qualify at all when you consider what is most widely regarded as the traditional purpose of marketing. Yet when the Marketer of the Year judges came to making a final decision on this year’s three final candidates, they could not deny […]

Perks for everyone
Colm Carey on why perks at work pay better dividends when offered randomly As the economy picks up, companies looking to attract the brightest and best are turning to perks to clinch the deal. Today’s perks have swung away from a golf club membership to something more holistic and contemporary. Jobs.ie notes that Irish companies […]

Customer experience: fad or future?
Clare Kavanagh on whether or not Irish business is really serious about customer experience A talk by Aisling Hassel, Airbnb’s head of global CX, at a recent event organised by CXPA Ireland was inspiring. Airbnb are game changers and not just in how they democratised travel. In a CX context, they have motivated and enabled […]

Traders programmed for change
Core Media group’s Colm Sherwin and Eddie O’Mahony, above, explain why programmatic is set to dominate media buying and planning in adland in the years ahead Programmatic technology and data is the future of media buying. Core Media Investment (CMI) is going through a revamp in how the group tackle media buying with programmatic at […]

Digital – think first, act later
Emma O’Doherty on why digital adulthood needs manners “We want you to think digital first”, a challenge every advertising and communications agency is highly familiar with and which is often the opening statement in client briefs in recent years. In a world of communications dominated by technological change, it is a fair challenge. Should we […]

Sharks gunning for glory?
Seán Boyle makes a case for why it’s time for Kinsale to seize the creative festival moment as Cannes jumps the shark One of the reasons ad agencies enter award shows is because of something called The Gunn Report. The report is an annual audit of the most creative agencies on the planet, based on […]

Live and swell at Verve
Ronan Traynor (above) tells Michael Cullen why Verve thrives on solving client problems Go to most major sponsored sports or music events around Ireland and chances are Verve are likely to be involved. It could be Electric Picnic, corporate hospitality at the All-Ireland GAA finals or manning stalls at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore. The agency […]

Brands home in on family themes
In his Stray Thoughts, Breandán O Broin looks at brands embracing families In many ways, autumn’s arrival signals the start of the advertising year. The frivolity of silly season summer offers is cast aide and marketing eyes turn to the real job of boosting brands, building awareness, and scripting award-winning Christmas blockbuster TV commercials. Not […]

Getting back on track
Colm Carey on why public transport needs to move with the times RTE Radio’s 1’s Liveline is often the last resort for people who find themselves frustrated trying to deal with companies that do not listen to customers who have a problem. One such case involved a young woman left stranded in Blackrock Dart station […]

Embracing sponsorships
Lisa Browne and Edel McCarthy talk to Michael Cullen about Electric Ireland’s current sponsorship strategy and how it helps connect a brand in a low interest category Sponsorship is big business. Boosted by next month’s Women Rugby World Cup and ‘sponsor switching’ on some major assets, Ireland’s spend on sponsorship is due to due to grow […]