Intense competition for advertising revenue across the media appears to have been a major factor behind the decision to make the British firm, Mediaforce, the new agency responsible for selling advertising on behalf of the 53 regional titles in the Republic.
The Irish Times understands that Mediaforce, already a major player in the UK, will take over the role in September from the Regional Newspaper's Advertising Network (RNAN), which has been providing the service since 1986.
RNAN, headed by chief executive Mr Neville Galloway, will now be wound down.
The decision to end RNAN's role was made in recent weeks by the group known as the Regional Newspaper Association of Ireland, which comprises all the major provincial press players, including Thomas Crosbie Holdings, Independent News & Media, Scottish Radio Holdings and the Leinster Leader group.
The association wants the regional press to get a bigger slice of the advertising market and some of its leading members believe Mediaforce can deliver.
RNAN sources said the organisation had taken the job to a certain level but it needed a new impetus. Mediaforce will process, solicit and place advertising on behalf of the 53 regional titles involved. In effect, it will become a one-stop shop for regional advertising, with Mediaforce chief executive Mr Malcolm Denmark promising to increase the presence of the regional titles in the Republic's entire advertising market.
Regional titles need to maximise advertising revenue as many of them are owned by media groups with national and sometimes international profiles. About 55 per cent of regional titles remain in the control of Irish family-owned businesses, but this figure is expected to dwindle as owners decide to sell the family silver.
Mediaforce, which employs 266 people, believes a model of aggressive marketing of provincial titles to advertisers can work in the Republic.
One advantage Mediaforce hopes to bring is that it is used to dealing with the big British agencies that are increasingly booking space with provincial Irish papers.
However, one question remains: If the provincial papers owned by Crosbie or the Independent manage to gain extra advertising revenue, surely they will be taking it off their own national titles?
The iconic brand
As a virtual national symbol, the advertising and marketing of Guinness should be easy but with increasing competition from lager and other sectors of the drinks market the pressure is on the brand's advertising agencies to find provocative new ways to advertise the black stuff.
The company's British agency, Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, has been told to come up with more creative ideas or risk losing the account after five years. This is probably because Guinness is regarded in Britain as an iconic brand, which should be able to pick up awards year in, year out.
According to Brand Republic this week, Guinness global brand director Mr Jon Potter has issued the advertising agency a revised brief to reignite the brand, whose British sales have been flat for the past two years.
The agency has struggled to match the triumph of its award-winning "surfer" advertisement of 1999, which has consistently been voted best ever advertisement in media polls.
Mr Potter admitted that the British agency was "under a bit of pressure", but said he was not talking to other agencies.
The last Guinness advertisement by Abbott Mead Vickers, "lava", showed a man running barefoot through molten lava to rescue a keg of Guinness from a burning building, a feat for which he is hailed a hero.
New RTE head
RTÉ's sales and marketing operation has often been criticised for not being commercial enough and for letting its commercial rivals steal a march on it.
The national broadcaster has now appointed a new member to its sales and marketing division, who certainly has a background in commercial media. RTÉ has named the appointment of former BSkyB executive, Ms Susan McAteer, as head of commercial, RTÉ television. As part of the continuing restructuring plan, RTÉ's sales and marketing division has been broken into two sub divisions - television and radio.
Ms McAteer will report directly to Ms Geraldine O'Leary, commercial director, RTÉ Television. Ms McAteer's areas of responsibility include airtime, sponsorship and other commercial revenue.
She has 16 years' experience in the advertising industry in the main at News International, based in London. Her previous role was senior vice-president, advertising sales at the STAR Group in Hong Kong where she was responsible for the Asia Pacific region. The STAR Group is News International's television service in Asia spanning 53 countries, with 40 channels in eight languages.
Before that she had a five-year tenure at BSkyB.
If you have any advertising, media or marketing news or comment, please email Emmet Oliver at eoliver@irish-times.ie
