With just over a week to go to the Irish Life Dublin Marathon on Sunday 27th October, my guest presenter David O'Sullivan was joined by the heads of Irish charities whose funding will hopefully benefit from the sponsorship and donations from those involved.

Grainne O'Leary Chief Executive Arthritis Ireland ★Jimmy Fearon Chief Executive, DEBRA Ireland

Among the main themes explored were...
1. What is the historical context of Irish charitable giving?
2. How has the Irish charity sector evolved in terms of governance and professionalism?
3. What are the key challenges faced by Arthritis Ireland and Debra Ireland?
4. What are the main misconceptions about arthritis?
5. What is Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), and why is it referred to as “butterfly skin”?
6. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Irish charities?
7. How has Colin Farrell supported Debra Ireland?
Colin Farrell, the renowned Irish actor, has been a long-standing supporter of Debra Ireland, forming a close friendship with Emma Fogarty, a prominent ambassador for the charity.

One new event to mark on your calendars for next year is The Reinvention Summit which takes place in Dublin on April 29th and 30th. It's the brainchild of Aidan McCullen and Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva. Dr Zhexembayeva, who has published multiple books on the topic of business reinvention, was in Dublin this week for a series of meetings and promotion events in advance of the Summit. According to a Harvard/Reinvention Academy study some 68% of leaders struggle with company reinvention; a real problem in an era of exceptional business disruption. I got a chance to interview her about some of the themes that will be explored in the Summit, to define the nature of reinvention, and to share some best-practice examples. 

In this podcast I interview Mal Stevenson who was Creative Director at Irish International when the Guinness Christmas advert was first aired in 2003. In a wide-ranging interview we discuss the creative brief behind the advert, the creative idea and execution elements of what has become one of Ireland's most-loved adverts. Thanks also to Dave O'Sullivan from Ignition for helping to set up the interview. #advertising #Christmasads #Guinnessadvertising

Interview with Mathijs Gajentaan, Chief Commercial Officer at twnkls -Dutch Augmented Reality specialists based in Rotterdam. In our interview we define Augmented Reality and discuss how it is seen as an increasingly attractive technology for marketers to engage audiences. We discuss a number of case studies where AR has been developed.

In-studio I am joined by two of the Interactive Direct Marketing Association council members Colin Stoddard and Dave Furney who will be discussing a survey that the IDMA are currently running. They also discuss developments in Ireland's direct marketing sector.

In this podcast I am joined by panelists Gerard Tannam, Managing Director,  Islandbridge Brand Direction  and by Paul O'Grady, Group Commercial Director, Mercantile Group. We discuss the challenges for companies to truly put themselves in the customer shoes. The particular challenges of using social media to engage customers are discussed. Paul gives some very good examples of how they differentiate their messaging across many of their brands such as Whelans, The Village and Mercantile Bar, and their restaurant brands. Gerard discusses how companies need to avoid the temptation to have a blanket approach to social media marketing. Companies need to be very sensitive to the audience contexts.

In this podcast I'm joined in-studio by Paul Bridgeman from Vocal.ie and by telephone by David Glynn from the McWilliam Park Hotel, Mayo. We discuss a wide range of social media marketing issues. Snapchat as a channel for marketing is among the topics investigated, and Paul discusses some findings from the Vocal Digital Trends Survey

In this podcast I am joined in studio by Maeve O'Gorman Digital and Social Strategy Director -  Mindshare Ireland , and Conor Lynch CEO of connector360. We are also joined on the phone line by Steven Roberts, Head of Marketing - Griffith College, Ireland. 

In this podcast Maurice Collins, founder of HRBR, Hair Restoration Blackrock, Dublin, discusses the marketing aproach his company use to building a market for their services. We discuss the role of testimonials in building customer confidence, the legislative context and how new media is playing an increasingly important role.

Also on the show an interview with Simon Healy from TotalHealth.ie a new chain of independent pharmacies.

Finally in the show, Paul Ebbs, discusses the launch plans for DIT's Construction Innovation Lab.

In this interview MD of Pembroke Communications, Mick O'Keefe joins me for a wide ranging discussion on the relationship between Sports and Sponsorships. Pembroke Communications recently conducted survey research around sponsorship at Electric Picnic, and Mick shares some of the main findings. Among the brands discussed are #Bacardi #Heineken #Vodafone #ElectricIre Also joining us for the discussion is Philip Peake Sales, Operations & Commercial Manager at Irish Greyhound Board Harold's Cross racecourse.

We also discuss the PR dimensions around the Arthur's Day controversy 

In this podcast a special interview with Mark Cullen, specialist consultant in customer engagement. In the interview discusses how companies use internal customer data  for insight as well as commissioned survey research. We discuss the key metrics that companies are using to assess customer satisfaction, from the concept of Net Promoter Score ( which has merits in loyalty measurement ) to Customer Effort Score ( which assesses how easy customer find it to interact with companies).

Also interviewed is Dr. Catherine Logan, Nutrition Manager with the National Dairy Council, who discusses their sponsorship of the Milk Advertising Awards, as well as the marketing activities of the Council. 

In this show I am joined by Alan Andrews, founder of Coffee Culture. Alan discusses his background in hospitality, starting with studying at DIT Cathal Brugha St, to today, where his company Coffee Culture span a number of businesess centred on excellence in coffee production and serving: roasting, barista training and cafe consultancy. In the interview Alan's passion for coffee shines through, and he offers some excellent marketing advice to cafe owners to maximise their business. 

In this podcast the topic of travel blogging is discussed. Joining me was Rick Calvert who is bringing TBEX to Dublin in October 2013. TBEX  ( Travel Blogger Exchange ) is the world's largest travel blogging convention. Rick discusses the growing influence of travel bloggers on destination choice, and how even traditional print channels are being impacted.

Also in this podcast there is a report from Edwina Neilen on the recent IAPI Industry Census. 

And towards the end of the podcast, LinkedIn expert Greg Fry gives me some top tips to use LinkedIn for marketing purposes.

In this podcast, Sarah Fitzpatrick from Tourism Ireland discusses the web marketing strategy of Tourism Ireland, who recently won an accolade as one of the Top 10 Coolest Tourism Destination websites from The Sunday Times. We discuss the way that social media marketing is integrated into the tourism destination web strategy, as well as future development plans for the Tourism Ireland website.

Also joining me to to discuss their new venture to disrupt the PR landscape are NiallHarbison and his new business partner Emma-Jane Power who have recently launched PRSlides.com.

The idea is to change how brands interact with both traditional and digital media. Making PR more affordable and relevant to brands and media in the Digital Age is a key aim of the start-up. We discuss the business model for the new venture and also explore the marketing strategy behind the company.

In this podcast we are rejoined by Kay Mc Carthy from planning agency MCCP to discuss the impact that the Covid crisis has had on consumer sentiment. We trace many of the likely implications for marketers. In part two of the podcast an interview with Finola Mc Dermott from the marketing team at EPIC in Dublin's CHQ.

In this podcast there is a discussion on the topic of Ethical Marketing with Interviewees Sheena Horgan and Rory Brennan. Sheena Horgan is a regular contributor to Irish Marketing Journal and recently penned an article on the topic of Ethical Marketing, where she reviewed a recent Nielsen survey into consumers' attitude to ethical consumption.

Rory Brennan is MD of Marketing Career Recruitment and offers his insight into opportunities for recent graduates of marketing, and interview tips.

In this podcast guest presenter

David O'Sullivan from Ignition Marketing is joined by a panel of marketing heavy-hitters:

Amie Peters, Head of Direct Mail, An Post

John McGee, Editor of Irish Marketing Journal

Nicky Doran, Head of Marketing, Bord Gais

Among the topics discussed were: the good weather and marketing sentiment, local marketing and identity, marketing graduates competencies, are we getting sidetracked by digital and overlooking fundamentals and other disciplines of marketing, how legislative changes will impact on sports sponsorship, the value of sponsorships, naming rights, integrating a single promotional message for Ireland. 

In this podcast guest presenter Edwina Neilan reports from the IAPI Future Heads event  - The Big Grill - held in July 2013. In the podcast Edwina interviews Deputy Managing Director MediaVest Ireland by telephone, and she reports from the event with interviewees Kieran O'Donovan ( Cawley Nea ) Antonia Mc Taggart ( Starcom ) and Mark Tanguy ( Mediavest ).

The IAPI Future Heads is a group of young people in the Irish advertising industry who wish to connect, inspire and foster new emerging talent within the advertising and communications industry. The Big Grill event offered  chance to younger entrants to the advertisng industry network with, and hear the views of, leading members of the Irish advertising industry on their experiences. 

In this podcast guest presenter Pat Mannion, from JC Decaux Ireland, interviews Liam Pender and Mark Lynch, who have recently formed Open Communications  - a media communications consultancy. Mark Lynch is a former MD of Mindshare Media and Viseum, while Liam Pender has held a number of senior positions in the Irish adveritisng sector, most recently as Media Director of Cawley Nea TBWA. The company has a blue chip list of clients including  Heineken, Danone, and Bord Gais Energy.

Open Communications aim to help clients in maximising return on investment in marketing communications - among the services they offer are media audits. In the interview the  relationship between the auditor, agency and client is discussed including the development of agreed KPIs, and the need to develop a strategically strong media plan.

In this podcast guest presenter Ronan Kinahan from Vibe Training discusses the dimensions of making better presentations with MD of Eyeful Presentations Simon Morton. Simon and Ronan share some practical tips to enhance your communication skills for any audience. Later in the podcast Ronan interviews Patrick Murphy who has recently joined Atomic to set up the Atomic Sport division, which specialise in Sports Marketing activity.

In this podcast we hear from Damien Mulley who previews a forthcoming seminar on the topic of Online PR which he is running on September 2nd. Among the topics we discuss are the tools that can be used to maximise a company's effectiveness in PR and the challenges of crisis communication using online channels.

In studio I am joined by the Managing Director of O2 Media, Fintan Lonergan who discusses some case studies on mobile marketing including ones for Heineken and Avonmore brands. Fintan shares some insights from some proprietary research that O2 have conducted into Smartphone useage.

In this podcast I talk to Paul Moran, MD of Mediaworks.ie about the impact that the departure of Pat Kenny to Newstalk will have on the radio landscape and in-studio Shane Mc Gonigle from Winsight.ie discusses the recent announcement of the proposed merger of the Publicis and Omnicom groups.

On this edition of the podcast I discuss the topic of entrepreneuship with Brian Keegan ( pictured with me ) and Orlaith Carmody who are President and Communications Chair respectively of the newly launched Irish Chapter of Entrepreneurs' Organisation. The Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) is a global business network of 8,000+ business owners in 122 chapters and 35 countries. Founded in 1987 by a group of young entrepreneurs, EO enables small and large business owners to learn from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. The organisation aims to build the world's most influential entrepreneur community, which aligns with a mission of supporting entrepreneurial education and engaging entrepreneurs to learn and grow.

I begin the show by interviewing founder of new Irish owned Social Platform Phlok,  who are planning the creation of 100 new jobs over the coming 18 months following investment of $600,000.

With the investment of $600,000 from private and institutional investors, Phlok will be recruiting over 100 new staff in the areas of Software Development, Sales, Training and Account Management over the coming months across the island of Ireland.

Phlok is a unique rewards platform that offers end-users the opportunity to earn virtual currency as they interact with businesses on Phlok. In this podcast I interview Paul Graham (CEO) to discuss the business model for the company as well as the challenges faced by a serial entrepreneur. Download on the link below.

In this podcast I'm joined by Kerrie Finch of Dutch PR and Reputation Management agency FinchFactor from the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival where she reports on the week's events. Among the topics discussed are:

Highlights of winners in Cannes

How the traditional agencies are evolving to incorporate digital

What is the general sentiment in Cannes this year and "most talked about" topic?

First year for a Lion for PR?  Does this mean that there is now greater value placed on PR?.

Kerrie is the Netherlands representative for Cannes Lions. She is a true Cannes aficionado and has a number of clients in Cannes that are weighed down with gold and silver Lions i.e. BETC (for Evian), MediaMonks (KLM, Volkswagen, Ballantine's), and Agencia Africa. 

Also on the show I am joined in studio by Paul Bridgeman from Vocal.ie . Paul has Vocal from New Zealand where he headed up the top digital agency, Spitfire, who he joined after 2 years as digital marketing manager for Harvey Norman. In our discussion we get his take on the Cannes Lions as well as discuss what insights he gleaned working in Australia and New Zealand. We also discuss the Vocal Digital Trends Survey  which has just been launched.

This is a very special podcast edition of The Persuaders, recorded in Santa Clara CA, at the Augmented World Expo(AWE). I got a chance to attend the conference and speak to many of the keynote speakers, exhibitors and delegates. This is the fourth year of the conference and expo and the diversity of speakers and topics is testimony to the growing interest in Augmented Reality ( AR ) ..indeed one of the keynotes, mobile marketing commentator Tomi Ahonen, who features in the podcast, has predicted that AR will be come to be viewed as the 8th Mass Media.

My series of interviews explores how the marketing profession should engage with the technology of AR and offers lots of practical examples of best practice.

On this edition of the show Dave Byrne, Head of Creative at Thinkhouse, discusses the marketing opportunities offered by the TikTok platform with a case-study on the campaign they ran on behalf of client Goodfellas for their Pizza Pockets brand. Also on the show in Part Two, an interview with author David Kerrigan about his latest book 'Unlock your Learning'. In the interview we discuss how breakthroughs in Cognitive Psychology in recent decades, coupled with unprecedented levels of access to learning opportunities, herald a new golden age of learning.

In this podcast reporter Edwina Nelihan was at The Clarence Hotel for the Mad Women Altogether event held by IAPI on June 5th 2013. In the podcast Edwina explores with the panel participants the challenges and opportunities for more female participation in the world of advertising.

Plus Eimear Faughnan from Kantar Media TGI discusses the main findings from their research into Irish consumers - trends explored incude financial, FMCG and media consumption patterns.

In this podcast, Professor Mary Lambkin from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School discusses the latest Consumer Monitor Q1 report for 2013 which is produced in conjunction with the MII  ..consumers are exercising caution by paying down debt, even when they have secure incomes....

..... plus Managing DIrector of Keogh's Crisps, Tom Keogh discusses the process of developing a consumer brand in a notoriously tough sector.

On this edition of The Persuaders, Caroline Erskine from WomenonAir.ie and Orlaith Blaney from McCann Dublin discuss the issue of how to encourage more women to appear on the airwaves, especially in business and science programming

.....plus David O'Leary  from agency 80:20 discusses the launch of a new company in the social business space...RipplePlatform

In this podcast a feature interview with Eoin Clarke, Country Manager - Ireland for uSwitch - the online price comparison and switching service which this week received full accreditation by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) in Ireland.

And a telephone interview with Eamonn Hession from Puca about an innovative app they have developed for the Fyffes brand.

Chief Technical Office of SocialMedia.ie is my guest on this edition of The Persuaders Marketing Podcast. Barry and I discuss a number of critical issues facing companies doing social media marketing. The link between software developers and marketing professionals is discussed. 

In this interview founder and MD of Zoodigital discusses some case studies in digital marketing with particular strategy angles: 

European Commission - raise awareness of the benefits of the EU for young people

European Commission - raise awareness of funding for Sicence and Innovation

#Tweetsinspace

http://www.zoodigital.ie/thats-us-on-the-telly/

Brand positioning / loyalty

innocent smoothies:

The goodness HQ

http://www.zoodigital.ie/innocent-goodness-hq/

Innocent goodness juicer:

http://www.zoodigital.ie/the-innocent-goodness-juicer/

We also take a look at how Unilever Ireland used Augmented Reality as a means of showcasing a deoderant product in a retail context.

At the start of the podcast there is an interview with Lydia Rogers from Connaught Gold who discusses the recently launched integrated campaign for that brand.

In this podcast I'm joined from Amsterdam by Kerrie Finch, Managing Director of Finch Factor talking to us about PR Salon event that Finch Factor organise and also speaking to me is Francesco Condorelli, the CEO of CraftenAmsterdam 2013, the first of its kind.

David O'Leary, Chair of the APMC, is in studio to talk about their forthcoming awards and the state of play in the sales promotion sector.

A special podcast to discuss the issues in managing Agency / Client relationships. Guest presenter, Pat Mannion, from JC Decaux is joined by Dave O'Sullivan from Ignition marketing consultants and Mark Byrne from Brand Union branding consultants.

At DMX Dublin 2013, welcomed over 600 delegates to an action-packed day with a world-class conference agenda.

DMX Dublin is powered by The Marketing Institute, the professional body for marketing people and the voice of marketing in Ireland for the last 50 years. This podcast features a number of interviews with attendees and keynote speakers including Teddy Goff, head of the digital marketing activity for the Obama re-election campaign.

Conor Byrne Head of Digital at The Dialogue Network about Social Media Marketing disasters such as Mc Donalds and Starbuck's to Taco Bell and the lessons for marketers....plus Dale Longmore from Brand Social is in studio to discuss some of the emerging social media tools such as Thumb, Vine and Pheed.

In this podcast an interview with Barry Hand, Marketing Manager of GrabOneEscapes.ie about marketing a business via coupon deal websites....GrabOneEscapes.ie are part of the INM Group and feature travel offers. Also Stephen Conmy from TheAppys.ie and DigitalTimes.ie tells me about the GSK App-cademy 2013. The GSK App-cademy is about bringing software development leaders and third level students together. The goal of the GSK App-cademy is to promote mentoring, positivity and jobs in app development.

In this podcast guest presenter Colin Lewis takes the reins addressing two topics.

The first topic is about how to brief and deal with digital agencies, with Dave Douglas, MD of ebow, a Dublin digital agency, discussing among other things, responsive design specification, how digital marketing is really the same as traditional marketing, and the discussion on budget. Among the case studies discussed is a recent one they did for Safefood using infographics.

In the second part of the podcast there is a discussion  The Future of Newspapers in a Digital World, with Chris Lawson, the former Director of Content Sales & Marketing, Guardian News & Media. Among the talking points are the dangers of cannibalsation for publishers going digital, paywall vs non-paywall models - the solution of how to package the content in an efficient way is also discussed. The example of the travel and music sections are discussed, and the company's approach to move beyond mass marketing to individual, data driven, customer communications. Chris will be a keynote speaker at the digital marketing conference DMX Dublin on March 13th.

In this podcast we're trendwatching with Lead Analyst from Trendwatching.com - David Mattin. 2013 has been described as the perfect storm of necessity and opportunity - in this podcast we review in detail 5 of the key consumer trends identified by Trendwatching as crucial to follow in 2013. The full report, with analysis on 10 trends in total, can be accessed HERE.

Also interviewed is Jill McGrath, CEO of TAM Ireland, whic previews a forthcoming AAI Toolkit Seminar on the 26th February  ' How shoppers behaviour is changing and the role that price, promotion and advertising strategies play in this'. We discuss how the recession has impacted on consumers' retail shopping habits, and whether this marks a fundamental shoft in behaviour.

In this podcast an interview with Orlaith Blaney, Chair of IAPI, and CEO of McCann Dublin, in the run up to a forthcoming seminar on Getting More from the Client Agency Relationship, discusses the pitch process from advertising agency perspective. Among the topics we discussed were the Public Sector procurement process in relation to advertising, the importance of the advertising pitch presentation itself, and the extent to which to which advertising is becoming more global in nature leading to a squeeze on advertising agencies. 

Also Digital Marketing Institute boss, Anthony Quigley, is in studio to run through some trends in mobile marketing, the continued importance of search, the nature of app useage, and the general infancy of the sector, and the launch of Free WiFi in Dublin.

A special podcast on the topic of sponsorship trends. In an extended interview with the Managing Director of Onside Sponsorship, John Trainor, we discuss a recently completed survey the company completed among Irish sponsors and rights holders. We examine growth areas for sponsorship such as airlines, energy and gambling sectors. The change in legistation governing alcohol sponsorship is also explored, as is the general attitudes among the public towards sponsorship.

In this podcast I discuss the interaction between design, branding and marketing with Niall Corcoran, MD of agency Creative Inc, who were recently successful in the development of the Intreo creative identity for the Irish Government. In our interview we discuss the process of creating a brand new identity, and the need for stakeholder interaction.

Also Clare Burke, President of the Irish Travel Agents Association joins me to discuss the performance of the travel sector in the run-in to the 2013 Holidayworld Show.

In this podcast an interview with digital marketing expert Colin Lewis who discusses some key digital marketing trends for 2013 as well as previewing the forthcoming DMX Digital Marketing conference which will bring together the largest ever collection of top international and Irish digital marketing speakers and practicioners.

Also David Glynn, Marketing Manager from McWilliam Park Hotel in Claremorris, Co. Mayo, who discusses the hotel's marketing strategy for the Irish market and which social media tools work for the property.

In this podcast an interview with Anne McCoy National Fundraising Manager for SVP Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. We discuss their Christmas Appeal including the messaging strategy behind their television campaign. The role of social media in developing strategies for youth audiences in particular is also explored.

Also interviewed in the show is Kara Maher, founder of innnovative upmarket designerwear hire company, Frock n  Fabulous

Joining me was Declan Tully, Adforce.ie, Maeve O’Gorman from Mindshare and Dave O’Sullivan from Ignition. We discussed the new Shazam enabled TV advert for Volvo that was launched in Ireland. Media engagement company Shazam, in conjunction with Adforce.ie, is to unveil the first TV ad in Ireland enabled by its technology on behalf of automotive giant Volvo.

The new ad is claimed to be the only advertising solution of its kind in the Irish market, and the Shazam for TV service is attributed with enabling brands and agencies to incorporate a second-screen experience into their ads, leveraging recent trends in media multi-screening to engage active consumers and key brand influencers. We also discussed the Early Bird event from Mail Media Unit where the guest speaker was Casper Stylsvig, global sponsorship director of Manchester United. 

In this special podcast a feature on female entrepreneurs....... Christina Golston from ChristinaBelle Jewellery Designs, Aileen Rogers from Readygirls.com, and Yasmine Beharic of Smart Wall Paint. In the podcast we learn about their motivations to get into business, their product lines and focus on the marketing strategies they employ to build their business.

On this episode of The Persuaders -- the topic of innovation is one that we have covered numerous times on the show, but never from the perspective of philosophy. Professor Xavie Pavie, who lectures at top French business school ESSEC's Singapore campus, is an acknowledged global thinker in how companies can be more responsible in their innovation strategy, especially by framing their thinking in a philosophical way.

Prof. Pavie's contact information: www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-pavie-75a5374/

In part two of the show (19'10" ) Edel Mc Partland from the Sligo Park Hotel describes their marketing approach, as they prepare to reopen their doors to the public following a long lockdown due to Covid restrictions.

If you would like to contact us here on the show with a topic idea or some general feedback –we would love to hear from you – drop us a line persuaders@dublincityfm.ie

Keywords: #responsibleinnovation #philosophy #innovation #ESSEC 

Presenter: Alex Gibson
Producer: Kamila Lewandowska

In this podcast an interview with Tom Adams from Futurebrand. Tom was a speaker at the Marketing Institute of Ireland's National Marketing Conference and his presentation was part of a broader day themed 'Brand Ireland'. In the interview with Tom we discuss the reasons why countries need to brand. Later in the interview we disucss the impact of country brands in various brand categories as well as the Country Brand Index and the 15 emerging country brands.

In the second part of the podcast, I'm joined by Mark Brennan, co-founder of Tribal DDB Dublin where he discusses his own background in advertising, and the reasons leading to the Tribal launch in the Irish market.

In this podcast an interview with Tourism Ireland's Canada Manager Jayne Shackleford about the way that a story about a mesage in a bottle which was found by a Waterford schoolboy led to an opportunity to showcase Ireland to Canadian audiences, and to leverage The Gathering among Quebec citizens.

Also there is an in-depth interview with co-founder and joint MD of Blue Insurances, Rowan Devereux...the company was nominated as a finalist in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award 2011, and in the interview we discuss the company's ambitious plans for international expansion in the travel and gadget insurance markets.

In studio to discuss the background insights behind the new Irish Times campaign  'The Story of Why' is Marketing Manager, Katie Molony. The campaign  is running currently on a hugh variety of platforms. In the interview Katie disucsses how the paper will seek to engage more with their various communities. 

Also in studio to discuss a new app development platform for the events sector, Antenna, is Morgan McKeagney from iQ Content. The app is an open source development which allows anyone with an event, and some programming capability, the opportunity to develop an app to connect with their audiences.