Media & Marketing: With Euro 2004 over, advertisers are casting around for other ways to reach large audiences and taking space at Croke Park is fast becoming one of the most popular outdoor options of the summer.

The use of the backdoor format in hurling and football has increased the number of crunch ties and Croke Park could end up hosting 24 matches this summer.

Advertisers estimate that these matches could pull in a potential spectator audience of about one million, with a live TV audience of about six million over the duration of the All Ireland championships. It is this second group that really interests advertisers.

This year, marketing and media company Haveco has introduced a new revolving advertising signage system which allows big brands to get greater access to TV viewers for the big games.

Pitchside for this year's championships are household names such as Toyota, Vodafone, Coca-Cola and McDonald's. The two main GAA sponsors, Guinness and Bank of Ireland, are also given pride of place. Media groups such as The Irish Times and Independent News & Media have also taken space, as well as HB and Lyons Tea.

For full coverage running at the canal and Cusack Stand ends of the ground, advertisers must pay €75,000 per season. Hill 16 is expected to be added in the near future.

The amount of exposure an advertiser gets pitchside is somewhat of a moveable feast, says Mr Ciarán Havelin, managing director of Haveco.

Obviously, if a player is injured over by the sideline the exposure for an individual client can be massive.

Either way, he says, over the whole season, things should balance out.

Mr Havelin says the most effective adverts at Croke Park are the simple ones that concentrate mainly on the company's logo.

The introduction of the new system is believed to have increased the revenue for the GAA from Croke Park signs by about 40 per cent. More than €1 million of business has already gone through this season, it is believed.

"The strength of this sports advertising format is its visual impact, which receives strong television exposure during live matches, recorded TV highlights and pre-match TV sports programmes," says Mr Havelin.

Cheekily, the company has also reminded advertisers that press coverage the day after the game often includes shots of advertisements in the background.

So, while GAA purists may decry the tactics of certain managers on the sidelines admonishing referees, the advertisers who put their logos in the vicinity of such drama are relishing every minute of the action.

Advertising code

The controversial code on children's advertising is expected to be issued early next week. The latest version follows three rounds of consultation with interested groups, among them advertising bodies and children's campaigners.

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) is believed to have made only minor amendments to the last draft, which was published some months ago, and the changes are described as technical in nature.

One issue that surfaced in the last round of deliberations at the BCI was whether the advertising industry should be given some kind of stay of execution. The industry has explained that budgets for children's advertising are worked out months in advance and introducing major restrictions as soon as September would be unfair.

Sources have indicated that the BCI may prove receptive to this argument but there is no backing down on the general intention to curb the advertising of fast food and sugary products to children.

Sony awards contract

There are not too many advertising contracts up for grabs this summer, although tenders were recently submitted to the ESB for its contract.

However Sony has awarded its contract for 18 electrical stores around the State, known as Sony Centres.

The contract for creative and media buying/planning services, believed to be worth about €800,000, went to Owens DDB and Mediaworks.

Alternative attraction

Several leading advertisers have entered the debate about what the alternative rock station planned for Dublin should look like.

Included in the XFM submission (which is being backed by UTV) are interesting arguments from senior people in several Dublin agencies, including Carat Ireland, Irish International Group, Mediavest and McCann Erickson.

Ms Martina Stenson of Universal McCann states unequivocally that, while there are now more than 10 radio stations vying for market share in Dublin, "the concept of a pure rock station offering will answer the prayers of a certain section of the market.

"Currently, the Dublin music market tends to be very middle of the road and if the right rock station is chosen it could certainly carve out a strong niche in the market. As for our clients - Coke would obviously be a candidate, maybe L'Oreal if they have a male product to support and potentially Esat BT."

For his part, Mr Eamon Donnelly of Irish International Group suggests the station should not be too niche. He says the key is to target "upmarket 20- to 30-year-old males", not only with a different playlist but with a "different style and tone".

Mr Mark Lynch of Mindshare suggests the growth of niche players in the Dublin radio market has resulted in advertising budgets increasing to meet the new offerings. "I would see that a well-targeted, well-run station will be able to succeed once it does not over promise."

Emmet Oliver can be reached at eoliver@irish-times.ie