Media & Marketing: With ambient media spend in Ireland now valued at over €27 million, new point of purchase ideas continue to surface. While in-store contractors from overseas have come and checked out of multiples in Ireland - some rather unceremoniously - a Wicklow-based company with a track record in vending machines and posters in third-level colleges is close to nationwide reach with in-store trolleys.
Visualise Advertising, a company co-founded by ex-Ireland and Lions rugby captain Ciaran FitzGerald, has rolled out 23,000 trolleys in over 100 stores around the country. Visualise has contracts with Dunnes Stores, Tesco and SuperValu for its PopAds. The ad frames are fitted to trolleys for brands like Heinz, Colgate, Galtee, Nestlé, RTÉ and Visa.
"We developed PopAds from in-store tests in major urban areas last summer," FitzGerald said. "The job was to convince advertisers that the ads would move product and increase sales. Tracking research from EPOS data allowed us to show how the medium is accountable and drives sales. Some 75 per cent of final buying decisions are made in-store and most shoppers spend 45 minutes from car park to car park," FitzGerald added.
Visualise has a target of 35,000 supermarkets. To reach that figure, they need to get more penetration in the northwest. FitzGerald has been in talks with Superquinn in recent weeks and he hopes to finalise a deal shortly. He would also like to be in Lidl and Aldi stores, although that may be a bigger task, given that they ignore branded products.
On the logistics side, Visualise is using its staff network, which services the 4,000 Fresh 'N' Up vending machines in 1,500 washroom venues around the country, to roll out PopAds. The company's other ambient interests include A3 washroom posters and beermats. They work with clients and agencies and with specialists like PML and Poster Plan.
While the PopAd idea is new to Ireland, trolley advertising has caught on with FMCG advertisers in Europe. A Nielsen study for Procter & Gamble in Norway reported a 12.3 per cent increase in Pampers' sales in stores with trolleys ads. RMS research in the UK showed an average increase of 11 per cent across all grocery categories using trolley ads.
To convince Irish advertisers of the medium's value, Visualise undertook a series of case studies. Diageo used PopAds for a Bailey's promotion before and after Mother's Day. Comparative sales data was collected from 28 test and control stores. FitzGerald said that sales of Bailey's were 39 per cent higher in the 14 test stores using PopAds.
Dave Harland, chief executive of OMD Ireland, whose clients include Barry's Tea, said trolley ads were among a growing number of retail options for advertisers. Agencies were interested in new ideas for maximising impact for grocery clients, Harland added.
Decision on €7m B of I account
A decision on the Bank of Ireland media account is imminent, with OMD Ireland, Starcom Mediavest and the incumbent, Carat, competing for the €7 million account.
OMD already handles the Danske group, including National Irish Bank.
The Super Valu review is expected to be finalised soon, with Cawley Nea\TBWA, Irish International BBDO, McCann Erickson and the incumbent, Grey Helme, in contention.
A decision on the Bank of Scotland (Ireland) creative account is still undecided, with Publicis QMP, Rothco and the incumbent, Language, on the pitch list. Language has picked up the Lexus account, previously handled by O'Sullivan Ryan Advertising.
Rachel Rowen, daughter of OSR co-founder, Ted O'Sullivan, has shut up shop to pursue other interests. OSR media director Bill Davis joined First Advertising, bringing with him the Irish Cancer Society, Whyte's Auctioneers and Denis Mahony accounts.
Spending heralds general election
A sign that a general election is on the horizon is the number of Government accounts out to pitch recently. Six agencies are in for Breastcheck, a service which has been publicised using radio and TV ads voiced by RTÉ presenter Marian Finucane.
A consultancy-type brief was doing the rounds in recent weeks for Transport 21. Cawley Nea\TBWA has won a campaign for Minister Noel Dempsey's Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. The task is to urge people to think more about using energy more efficiently. Edelman will handle the PR.
With Fianna Fáil putting energy policy at the top of its agenda for its parliamentary party annual "think-in" in Westport, Co Mayo, next month, it is likely the account could prove a highly prized one for the two agencies.
McShane leaving post at TNS mrbi
One of Ireland's most respected research executives, Ian McShane, is to leave TNS mrbi to join Behaviour & Attitudes as managing director in early September.
B&A is widely regarded as the country's top independent research agency. It was co-founded by Des Byrne and Graham Wilkinson after they quit IMS in 1985.
McShane, who took over the reins at MRBI from Jack Jones, is known to Irish Times readers from his articles on political polls. It is thought that he has been given a 10 per cent stake in B&A as management considers firming up the agency's succession stakes.
• Michael Cullen is editor of Marketing magazine
