New Media Offers, Opportunities & News

The Advertising Standards Authority, the independent advertising self-regulatory body responsible for promoting, regulating and enforcing the highest standards of marketing communications in Ireland, has appointed Ann Marie Lenihan, Clare Mulcahy, and Michael O’Keeffe to its Board.

The appointments of Clare Mulcahy and Michael O’Keeffe to the Board represent a significant milestone for the Advertising Standards Authority, introducing independent, non-industry perspectives that will enhance its mission to ‘Foster Trust in Advertising for all’.

Ann Marie Lenihan is CEO of NewsBrands Ireland, a representative body for national news publishers. Since her appointment to the role in 2016, Ann Marie has led the organisation in successful lobbying for the abolition of VAT on both print and digital newspapers, a change reflected in the 2023 Budget. More recently, she spearheaded efforts that resulted in the publication of the Defamation (Amendment) Bill, which aims to reform Ireland defamation laws.

Ann Marie is a member of the supervisory board of the World Association of News Publishers and vice-chair of its directors committee. She is also a director of News Media Europe, the voice of the news media industry in Europe, and serves on News Media Europe’s copyright and media freedom task forces.

With over 25 years’ experience in media and communications across Ireland, the UK and South Africa, Ann Marie is a UCD graduate of Psychology and holds a Diploma in Counselling from Maynooth University.

Clare Mulcahy is Head of Consumer Affairs at the Irish Aviation Authority and was also previously a member of the Advertising Standards Authority Complaints Committee. An accomplished leader in consumer protection and regulatory compliance, Clare has also worked with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, where she managed compliance for water, electricity and gas markets. Clare also served as the Retail Regulatory Operations Manager for a major telecommunications operator, where she ensured regulatory compliance in product development, retail operations and advertising campaigns.

In her current position, Clare plays a pivotal role in ensuring that airlines, airports and the broader travel industry comply with aviation consumer laws. She also handles escalated consumer protection issues within Ireland and across the EU, collaborating with European counterparts to ensure the effective application of consumer protection laws.

Clare holds a Law Degree (LL.B) from Trinity College Dublin, a Master’s in International Business from University College Dublin, and an MBA from Trinity College Dublin.

Michael O’Keeffe is the former Chief Executive of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), having worked in this role for the BAI and its predecessors between 1991 and 2021. While in this role, Michael served as a member of the Advertising Standards Authority Complaints Committee.

Michael worked with Coimisiún na Meán (formally the BAI) in a consultancy role from May 2023 – June 2024 to oversee the administration and management of the Commission’s Commercial Radio Licensing Plan and a range of the Commission’s broadcasting compliance functions.

Michael has separately undertaken selection interviewing processes with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) and the Houses of the Oireachtas, where he has acted as Independent Chairperson of the Board on a number of senior management selection processes. He is also a member of the Greyhound Racing Controls Committee of Rásaíocht Con Éireann having being appointed by the Minister for Agriculture in 2022 to serve a four year term.

Commenting on the appointments, Orla Twomey, Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Ann Marie, Clare and Michael to the Board. Each appointee brings a wealth of expertise to the role. Their insights will be invaluable to the wider Board of the Advertising Standards Authority and their combined knowledge will offer expert guidance on the dynamic advertising landscape.

Commenting on the appointments, Miriam Hughes,(Chair of the Board said

“We are very much looking forward to working with Ann Marie, Clare and Michael in the future. Clare and Michael’s appointments, in particular, are an important milestone for the organisation. Their independent voices will bring fresh perspectives to the Board’s deliberations, enriching our decision making process and strengthening our commitment to safeguarding consumers from advertising that is harmful, offensive, or misleading.”

The Board is responsible for oversight of the Advertising Standards Authority’s business activities and performance. They also contribute towards drawing up and implementing the Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing Communications in Ireland.

Visit adstandards.ie to learn more about the Advertising Standards Authority

To keep up to date on Advertising Standards Authority activity, follow the organisation on:

X                      @AdStandardsIRE

Instagram        @adstandardsireland

LinkedIn          @Ad-Standards-Ireland

You’ll see the Sale offers on the homepage and just click and book. Once you book at today’s prices, the Ads can appear anytime. Including 2025! so you avoid any media price increases.

From Irish Indo – and don’t buy from RTE, buy from us. It’ll be cheaper!:

From IMJ Adworld (Bold is ours!! see? Told ya):

A new 11-part podcast series called The Story of Advertising (And My Part in its Downfall) has been launched by Stuart Fogarty, one of the Irish advertising industry’s leading lights over the last 40 years.

The new series, which is available on audio platforms like Spotify, Acast, Buzzsprout will explore the history of advertising, how it started and why and how agencies we know today emerged. As the series progresses, Fogarty says it will explore the Mad Men era of the 1950s and the growth of the holding companies that now preside over the industry like a Colossus.

In later episodes, famous global and national campaigns will be examined including some iconic advertising from times gone by. The new series will also recall some of the Irish industry’s legendary agency brands like OKB, Arks, McConnell’s, Hunters, Doherty’s, O’Connor O’Sullivan and AFA.

“But this is the story of media, of advertising agencies and how they all contributed to the state we’re in now…and, of course, my part in its downfall,” Fogarty says.

A former president and fellow of IAPI, Fogarty is a former owner and CEO of McConnells Advertising at a time when it was the largest agency in Ireland. He is also  a former CEO of AFA O’Meara and was one of the founding shareholders/directors of Core Media. Fogarty is currently the founder and CEO of the media buying platform, Admatic.

To listen to the first episode of The Story of Advertising (And My Part in its Downfall) click https://www.buzzsprout.com/240220

You might enjoy…..11 weekly Episodes, 3 live now on IMJ/Adworld, Apple, Spotify, Acast, Buzzsprout and pretty much, wherever you get your Podcast.

Or here http://www.buzzsprout.com/2402204

Sorry, we should stay away from politics but when it comes to cats….(social media can really work, sometimes).

John Stewart

RPReplay_Final172606275

RPReplay_Final1726063798

From Irish Times (obviously):

Ever since the advent of social media two decades ago, the big companies have argued that the best form of regulation is self-regulation. They have had a considerable degree of success in persuading governments about the merits of this approach.

However, the damaging impact of social media and gaps in the response of the major players have become increasingly evident. And since Elon Musk took over X – the platform formerly known as Twitter – in 2022, the case for self-regulation has been further undermined.

In the guise of being a free-speech absolutist, the platform has descended into a quagmire of hate speech and politically destabilising misinformation. Musk has removed its guardrails against harmful content. What’s more, he has used X to push his own political agenda.

Other issues have underlined the case for action. Social media platforms are widely used to disseminate misinformation and threaten political leaders. Too often, the companies in charge of the platforms appear to have poor controls and are too slow to react.

In response to all this, Taoiseach Simon Harris said recently that the era of self-regulation is over and pledged to hold a meeting of State agencies and other stakeholders to look at further regulation of social media. This is welcome as Dublin is the international headquarters of many of the world’s biggest social media companies. Ireland must thus play a prominent regulatory role.

But regulation is only effective when it is backed up by an adequate enforcement regime. Over the past two years the Government has introduced the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill. More importantly, the EU has passed the Digital Services Act, which addresses illegal content, transparent advertising and disinformation.

The Act is sufficient to tackle many of the abuses taking place across social media platforms. But what is less clear is how it will be enforced by the 27 member states. That is why the most immediate priority must be to ensure that there is robust and coherent enforcement of existing regulation.

You’ll see the Sale offers on the homepage and just click and book. Once you book at today’s prices, the Ads can appear anytime. Including 2025! so you avoid any media price increases.

There’s John McGee of advertising fame, reading the New York Times in Ireland this morning and this popped up…..and he kindly sent it on.

There’s targeting for you.

From IMJ

Tickets are still available for the third annual TABs Charity Lunch which will take place in the Intercontinental Hotel, Ballsbridge on Thursday, September 12.

This year TABS is celebrating its 70th anniversary and during this period, it has helped hundreds of individuals and families through difficult and challenging times. Along with the TABS golfing and cycle events each year, the September lunch has become an important fund-raising event for the charity. Last year, it raised over €40,000.

Tables for the event cost €2,500 for a table of 10 or €3,000 for a table of 12. Individual places are also available. TABS is also accepting prizes to for its raffle which will be held at the lunch.

For more information about purchasing tickets, making a donation of cash or a prize, contact  Emma O’Doherty ( emma.odoherty@mindshareworld.com)