Ireland’s importance as an international advertising hub is growing. That’s thanks to a number of factors, including being the location of choice for the world’s top tech companies, and the EU’s only English-speaking country.
But the real reason for the success of the industry here runs deeper. It’s because Ireland is a country where creativity comes to shine.
Here, we meet three of the top industry professionals who came to Ireland to build their careers.
Bridget Johnson – South Africa
A multi award-winning creative, Bridget Johnson joined Irish agency Boys+Girls as executive creative director in May, after two decades working in top agencies in her native South Africa.
It was while judging the D&ADs, a global industry award, that a chance conversation led her to join Boys+Girls, relocating her entire family to do so.
Johnson has Irish heritage – her maiden name is O’Donoghue – but that wasn’t what prompted the decision. “When I looked at Boys+Girls I thought wow, they’ve really done some interesting work,” she explains.
Its Connected Island campaign for telco Three on Arranmore Island resonated with her. “Just to see the commitment over the time that was required really inspired me,” she says.
Ireland seems to offer a wealth of opportunity. It feels like you can do so much here creatively
Its Daddy, Look at Me spot, for Swim Ireland, which promotes water safety, also made an impact on her. “It’s a child calling for their dad to look at them, the way kids do when they’re doing something impressive, but then you realise the child is in trouble. I like work that is simple and powerful and that shows restraint.”
Rothco’s Mrs Higgins Christmas campaign for Woodies tugged at her heart strings. “There is such sensitivity in the writing here and I think that’s a result of Ireland’s literary heritage, of telling stories. There are a number of agencies doing great work, including In the Company of Huskies and TBWA\Dublin, and lots of exciting things going on,” she says.
The more she researched the industry here, the more impressed she became. “Ireland seems to offer a wealth of opportunity. It feels like you can do so much here creatively. In South Africa there are a lot of very well-established agencies which can be harder to break into, even with great work. Ireland is wide open in that regard,” she says.
Jarrod Banadyga – Canada
Canadian native Jarrod Banadyga started out copywriting in Calgary, “doing a lot of truck ads”, before moving to Vancouver, to take his career up a notch. “I started meeting a lot of Irish people in advertising there. And the people I had met in Vancouver who were Irish were funny, smart, sharp, self-aware, all the things I like in people,” he explains.
When Banadyga and his wife Jenny were pondering their next move, it was a choice between Australia and Ireland. “Ireland won, for not having deadly spiders,” he deadpans.
They arrived in 2013, with Banadyga taking up the position of creative director at Dublin agency The Public House, managing international campaigns for brands such as Jameson, Redbreast, Paddy Power and Ryanair.
The couple have had two daughters here.
“It was a two-year plan, which went to three, then five, and we’re still here,” says Banadyga. “Friends from Canada say when are you coming back, but we’re having too much fun,” he adds.
I'm seeing people from other parts of the world wanting to come here too, because they are hearing the buzz about Ireland
He feels the creative community here enjoys more latitude than exists in bigger markets. “Clients here don’t need to run things up the flag poles as much. In Canada there’s a lot more relying on focus groups. Here, work is much more based on intuition and gut feeling,” he explains.
It helps generate amazing work, from Robin Redbreast, his international “spokesbird” for whiskey, to Weight of the Eighth, a ball and chain projected onto one of the city’s few female statues as part of the successful campaign to change the legislation around abortion here.
“I’m seeing people from other parts of the world wanting to come here too, because they are hearing the buzz about Ireland. It has become an attractive destination for global creatives,” says Banadyga. He understands why they come. “It’s a good place to build a career.”
Simon Chapman – Australia
Sydneysider Simon Chapman arrived in Ireland in 2009 and today is senior creative for Edelman, Ireland.
With him it was a case of cherchez la femme. “I met and married an Irish woman back in Sydney, and a few years after we moved to Ireland for a few months - and I’ve been here since,” he explains.
He too has found Ireland a great place to build a career. "I think we're at equal standing with places like New Zealand and the UK and I have seen world-class work happening over the last 10 years. I have worked with and currently work with some very creative people at the top of their game in Ireland," says Chapman.
“I don’t think Irish advertising has received the exposure internationally that it deserves, although with some big wins at Cannes and brilliant international work over the last few years, we’re beginning to make waves.”
With variety comes greater opportunities to experiment and explore ideas, to learn from other categories and sharpen processes
For creatives coming into Ireland, the variety of the market here, and the greater opportunity it provides to work with a multitude of brands and sectors, is a key advantage.
“With variety comes greater opportunities to experiment and explore ideas, to learn from other categories and sharpen processes. It pushes you beyond your comfort zone and encourages and rewards fresh thinking and bolder approaches.”
Among his recent campaigns is one for Deep River Rock which was designed to make viewers smile, as a little quirky thinking turns mundane misfortunes into something positive. “A lot of crazy ideas came to fruition in this campaign through working with an insanely creative and talented team and a brave client.”
IAPI’s campaign to promote Ireland as a centre of excellence for creatives is bearing fruit, he reckons.
“It’s helping to build confidence in our industry and giving us all that bit more courage to step up and showcase the amazing work we’re creating,” says Chapman.
His plan is to keep delivering amazing work of his own. “I plan on continuing to do a job I love, working with people I respect, in an industry that applauds creativity and is finally becoming a positive social influence.”
Ireland: where Creative is Native is an IAPI initiative to promote Ireland as a Centre of Excellence for the commercial creativity industry.
Ireland is a country where being creative is second nature; world-renowned for its writers, artists, poets, musicians and all-round change-makers. These talents spill into the commercial creative world of advertising, design and communications.
IAPI believe that the time has never been more opportune for the sector to grow their international reach. For brand owners looking to launch into the European market, Ireland is now a viable and agile alternative, aside from being the only English-speaking country left in the EU.
No longer do brand marketers seek creative expertise abroad as they know they can work with the global best, right here in Ireland. Domestic and International brands such as An Post, AIB, Vodafone, SuperValu, Allianz, Nissan, Lidl, Jameson, Diageo and Toyota and many others are creating world beating communications using Irish creative and media agencies.
Discover IAPI’s Creative is Native initiative - www.creativeisnative.com
