UM Newsletter. Worth a look!
Feb 14 – Media News from our friends at UM. Great information on the Cost of Living issue, Virgin Media Spring Schedule, Six Nations rugby, OOH and Cinema. Worth a look!
Stuart Fogarty
About Stuart Fogarty
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Media Awards Entry Open
Feb 7th from IMJ/Adworld.
The Media Awards 2023 are now open for entry with the closing date for entries set for March 21 at 5pm.
The gala black-tie Awards night will once again take place in the RDS on April 27 2023.
This year the organisers have introduced a new category – the Best Sustainability Initiative. The category is open to all organisations and looks to recognise and reward a change, campaign, project or event (internal or external) that has enhanced the environmental credentials of the company or brand.
Over the coming weeks, a panel of Irish and international judges will be appointed to the judging panel. Judging is scheduled to take place between April 19-21 with the winners announced the following week at the award ceremony.
Last year, 620 people attended the Media Awards 2022 in the RDS, the first in-person event since 2019. Last year’s winners included PHD, which won Media Agency of the Year, Omnicom, which won Network of the Year and Rollercoaster.ie which scooped Media Brand of the Year.
For more information visit www.mediaawards.ie
TikTok comes of age as advertisers jump on board
It’s hard to escape a conversation about advertising in 2023 without somebody mentioning the short-form video sharing platform that is TikTok.
With around one billion users around the world and an estimated 2.5 million users in Ireland, the 10-year-old business has been slowly muscling its way into the social media advertising schedules, nibbling away at the advertising budgets that almost exclusively winged their way into the coffers of established giants like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
The company, part of the Chinese-owned ByteDance, is notoriously secretive and does not disclose any financial information but some industry analysts, like Insider Intelligence, estimate that it is on course to clock up $18bn (€16.36bn) in advertising revenues this year, rising to $23.6bn in 2023. If it can continue this momentum, advertising revenues for 2024 are likely to be three times those of Twitter and Snapchat combined.
But further context is necessary. Facebook pulled in about $27.8bn in advertising during the last quarter of 2022 while Google’s YouTube pulled in $7bn in Q3 of 2022. Between them, they still account for about 70pc of all social media advertising budgets globally, a position of strength that they will not cede willingly.
Despite this, TikTok’s growth does pose a clear competitive threat to the established hegemony. During a 2022 earnings call, Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg mentioned TikTok no fewer than eight times during his presentation, a telling sign that he was concerned about his rival’s explosive growth.
On top of this many industry analysts and the media agencies that so often control advertising budgets have all upped their TikTok advertising spend forecasts by as much as 15pc-20pc this year. This is not additional spend but rather it’s coming from the likes of Facebook and Google.
While TikTok may not be for all brands, especially those that are unable to harness and understand its creative formats, there’s no shortage of Irish brands that have moved beyond dipping their toes in the water. These include the likes of An Post, Enterprise Ireland, Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Gas Networks Ireland, Bord Bia, Cairn Homes, Dublin Bus, Flahavan’s, Audi Ireland, Valeo Foods, FBD Insurance, Virgin Media and SSE Airtricity. Meanwhile, Government departments such as the Department of An Taoiseach, the Department of Health and the Department of Foreign Affairs have also spent money on it.
Beyond advertising, TikTok would also appear to be muscling in on the digital search market, one which Google has maintained its vice-like grip on for years. In the same way consumers are turning to the likes of Amazon to research and buy products and Instagram to keep up with certain trends, TikTok has also put down a marker in this space as a discovery tool, a move that could also lead to the introduction of live shopping. In China, for example, TikTok’s sister company Douyin has already built a thriving e-commerce business on the back of its social media offering by allowing users to buy products and services they see in the videos they watch. For some brands, particularly those operating in the direct-to-consumer space, this could be a game-changer.
Even though TikTok likes to be known as an entertainment company – as opposed to a social media one – it will still face many of the challenges its rivals have. Far from the dancing nurses, the singing priests and the home-cooking heroes that made it popular during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, TikTok will always have to grapple with the seedier and sometimes sinister side of the social media ecosystem. This is well-worn terrain for scammers, deepfakers, far right extremists and porn peddlers, most of which are adept at staying two steps ahead of the compliance and safety teams in what seems like a never-ending game of whac-a-mole.
For the vast majority of users, much of this will go unnoticed or be seen for what it is. For advertisers, meanwhile, it will be all about reaching and engaging with new audiences in a different way. So far, TikTok would appear to be delivering.
Fabulous MARCH Offers EXTENDED. On now!
Every booking before 5pm March 31st 2023 will receive a 200 euro All Gifts voucher delivered within 7 days to the email you registered with. You can see the vouchers here https://www.allgifts.ie
So once you book, we ask for your email as normal to confirm the booking and that’s the email your voucher will be sent to.
You don’t have to do anything – it will just arrive within 7 days.
You can of course, make one, or multiple bookings and the vouchers will still apply (we won’t trick you!).
But there’s one condition that there’s a minimum spend of 500 euro and that’s it.
Any bookings over 5k will receive a 500 euro voucher and bookings over 10k will receive a 750 euro voucher.
PLUS free access to our Advertising Course (value 200 euro) https://admatic.ie/2023/02/01/1161/
It really is as straightforward as that.
If this is as successful as we think (our January Sale was great, February was great too!) we may withdraw it at any stage before March 31st and if so, it’ll simply end and come off the platform. But if you see it here when you book, it’s live.
If you need any clarity ask Stuart@Admatic.ie or 085 7100458.
Virgin Media Television & RTÉ Form Historic Commercial Partnership for Guinness Six Nations
From Adworld Jan 20th. But if you’re interested in Six Nations packages – Ask us.
“With a big year in store for Irish rugby with the Guinness Six Nations kicking off in two weeks and the RWC2023 scheduled to take place in France later this year, a bit of broadcasting history was made off the field this week when Virgin Media Television and RTÉ teamed up for a commercial partnership to deliver all Ireland’s Six Nations matches on a free-to-air basis.
Details of the commercial partnership were unveiled this week at an industry gathering with key advertisers and media buyers from agencies there for the historic occasion.
While this is the second year of the broadcast partnership it is the first time that both broadcasters have come together to offer joint advertising packages.
As part of the collaboration, the Guinness Six Nations Men’s Rugby coverage on both RTÉ and Virgin Media Television will be sponsored by Vodafone
The Guinness Six Nations kicks off on February 4 with Ireland’s opening match against Wales and it will conclude on March 18 with the final match of the tournament – Ireland versus England in the Aviva Stadium
Speaking about the commercial partnership, Ian Byrne, director of digital & commercial enterprises, Virgin Media Television said: “Firstly, I would like to thank our advertisers and clients for their support in 2022, particularly as we enter the second year of this very successful collaboration with RTÉ Media Sales.
“Virgin Media Solutions is delighted with the results in 2022 and more importantly with how well we have worked together to make sure we deliver a seamless Six Nations Tournament experience for our clients and advertisers. The tournament itself performed excellently in 2022, reaching 2.5m viewers and delivering an average share of viewing of 41% for all matches and a 59% share of viewing for Ireland matches. This year both sales houses have continued developing the shared proposition and there has been plenty of constructive dialog behind the scenes to ensure this concept delivers for all local Irish TV broadcasting stakeholders in 2023 and for any future opportunities that RTÉ and Virgin Media Television may work on together in the future.”
Geraldine O’Leary, commercial director, RTÉ adds: “I am absolutely delighted that we got to celebrate the overall collaboration between RTÉ and Virgin Media Television and to mark the importance of the commercial partnership. It was a special day, and we were delighted to share the occasion with valued agency and client partners.”
New Discount on RTE.ie Home Page Takeovers! 3 for 2.
January 16th – When you book a Homepage Takeover on RTE.ie during the week (which includes News) each one costs 5k (down from 10k) AND you get 3 for the price of 2. Book 2 and get the third free! See it in our digital section or enquire stuart@admatic.ie, but remember, availability is always the issue if you want specific dates but we’ll try and get them, or get close.
January Sale! Ended Friday Jan 27th and thank you!
A January Media Sale. Now there’s a thing.
And thanks to you all.
It’s now over since 5pm Friday 27th BUT look out for new February Offers this week!
In our Sale it was:
Buy Two get One Free on Radio. When you book 2 weeks on any station shown on the platform (including RTE) which would be 2 packages, we will then give you another identical package on the same station for Free to use as you wish. Buy two, get One Free.
Buy One get One Free on Press. When you buy any Press Ad on any title in any size as shown on the platforms, we’ll give you an identical Press Ad in the same paper, same size for Free, to use as you wish.
Buy One and get a Free Ad Messenger Campaign on Digital. When you book any digital product, we’ll give you a Free Ad Messenger Campaign of 75,000 impressions. You’ll see details on Ad Messenger throughout the platform to see what you’re getting.
Buy 74k on Television at Rate Card and we’ll give you 50% off On Television. So you pay 37k. This is any audience buy on all stations (RTE One/Two, Virgin One/Two/Three, Sky Ireland, TG4, C4 Ireland) and it’s as simple as that. The Player and Sky/Adsmart Advertising are also included. You’ll never get Television Advertising at such low costs.
Outdoor is not on Sale. Yet. But it will be, so enquire as you wish.
Here’s how it works and our rates have not been increased, so the normal discount rates are still there.
But when you book during the Sale for any Media on Admatic.ie at the rate shown, we will then ‘accept’ your booking (always with the right of refusal) and then you’ll be asked to pay online. Same as usual.
Your booking is accepted/made once you book, but it’s never guaranteed until funds have been received, as is always the case.
Once you pay, you’ll automatically receive a confirmation invoice. We’ll be in touch then to discuss any issues such as copy uploads.
Offers apply to all bookings between 9am January 9th and 5pm Friday January 27th.
We may withdraw the Sale at any time before January 27th if it’s even more successful than we think it might be.
It will simply come to an end.
All Bookings can apply to any appearance date of your choosing, but before December 31st 2023. Just book your appearance date on the platform as normal.
So you book now, but can use the Advertising at any time you choose, even if media rates increase in the meantime.
Guaranteed means, Guaranteed.
If anything is unclear, please ask us stuart@admatic.ie or call us 085 7100458.
2023. Interesting Admatic Trends?
Looking back on 2022, our sales/turnovers stack up, more or less, as:
Television Advertising 35%
Radio Advertising 25%
Digital 2o%
Press 10%
Outdoor 10%
Our Television spend (RTE, Virgin, TG4, Sky, C4) is a little distorted in that TV spends are higher – so whilst the overall value is high, the number of transactions is lower than say, Radio. More Clients buy Radio Advertising but the cost is less and therefore whilst TV brings volume, Radio transactions are there day-in day-out. The strength of TV advertising is significant still, though given the longer term demise of linear TV with a future really, as live Sports broadcasting only. That said RTE were operating at 92% Ad capacity during the year which is incredibly strong given the cost of TV Advertising and the need to have a TV Commercial (a general barrier to entry). However, the intro of addressable TV (Skysmart/Adsmart) has brought TV to a new ‘budget’ advertiser audience as it was intended to and indeed, the players sell well.
TV is still unquestionably the ‘brand builder’ and our Clients who used TV (some for the first time) cannot speak highly enough of its effectiveness. It works, it continues to work.
Radio has been an eye-opener too. Relatively low cost (especially when compared to TV) it is really delivering high audiences and high frequency. It’s a medium that’s doing the business and will continue to do so. We expect TV and Radio to be our big focus in 2023.
The relatively low numbers on Digital might show a ‘plateauing’ (if that’s even a word) but also is indicative of Clients in-housing (doing it themselves). A bit of Admatic expertise does help….but there’s a general view that Clients feel it’s not working as well as it was and they’re looking for other new choices. Still, very happy to do it!
The low Press spend is more than surprising. Shocking even. A few years ago it would have been number one or two. Declining readerships, high costs but particularly, a strong view with our Clients anyway, that “no one reads them anymore” is a natural barrier. Unfairly, but it’s the way it is.
Outdoor at 10% is probably where it has always been, but definitely represents a bounce back. Certainly, we’ve never seen such positive interest in Outdoor from mid 2022. Perhaps as people have been Covid ‘out and about’ they’re more conscious of it, but it’s definitely on a spurt.
We’re here to help, had a good year and will build on it. Keep saying it’s all thanks to our growing Clients and to whom, we owe everything. We know that but we’ll keep delivering value. It’s not our money, it’s theirs.
Just thought these trends might be interesting, for what it’s worth.
Stuart
2022 Virgin Media viewing highlights. Note Live Sports. Linear TV will be all about Live Sports.
Jan 1st From Business Plus:
Live sport dominated Virgin Media Television’s top 20 most watched programmes of 2022, with the broadcaster garnering 17% share of viewing across the 15–44 demographic, a new high for the company.
The most watched programme of 2022 was on 12th February when Ireland played France in their opening game in the Guinness Six Nations.
Thirteen out of the top 20 most watched programmes across Virgin Media Television in 2022 were live sporting events, including four Guinness Six Nations games and three Autumn International Series games.
The Ireland v South Africa match was VMTV’s third most watched programme of the year as Ireland beat the Springboks 19-16 in a closely contested match between the world’s number-one ranked side and the reigning world champions.
Three UEFA Champions League games make the list, with the semi-final first leg between Liverpool and Villarreal coming in at No.12. The Real Madrid v Man City semi-final leg at the Etihad Stadium ranked No.14.
VMTV’s fifth most watched programme of 2022 was the opening episode of the long running reality show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! that aired on 6th November.
The Masked Singer final made VMTV’s top ten most watched programmes, as did the Aintree Grand National. The Gold Cup at Cheltenham also features on the list at No.16
January episodes of Coronation Street and Emmerdale also feature in the VMTV’s top ten.
Outside of sport, the only home-produced programmes in VMTV’s top 20 are an episode of Gogglebox Ireland and a News at 5:30 broadcast in February.
Love Island was the most streamed show of 2022 on Virgin Media Player, with 14 million streams across all platforms.