Media & Marketing:An Irish company run by two former Diageo executives has launched a new planning, implementation and evaluation software system which it claims marks a major breakthrough in international marketing technology.
Evotia directors Tony Brophy and Janet French have launched the EPIOne marketing software system after three years in development. Brophy said the package is the only software system available featuring all elements of strategic planning.
Companies pay an annual licensing and technical fee for EPIOne and the charge is based on the number of users. For a company with up to 10 users, the cost is €25,000, while the cost rises to €45,000 a year for firms with up to 25 users.
"It seems odd that while there's no shortage of software systems which help out those working in finance departments and human resources," Brophy said, "there has never to my knowledge been a similar all-in- one package specifically geared to marketers."
EPIOne prepares marketing plans, creates proposals and briefs and measures effectiveness of plans. Along the way it touches on the six stages of planning and execution, including insights on the product or service and determining brand proposition. Evotia trials have indicated a 10 per cent reduction in overhead costs.
"As with any new software package, EPIOne requires the creation of a template from which a marketer will have a plan of action," Brophy added. "But then their creativity can be applied as the system gives users time to think, hints and case studies."
Evotia began rolling out EPIOne in January following tests at Glanbia, which ran from August to December last. As well as Glanbia, the system has been bought by Heineken Ireland and Bord Gáis.
Monitor closes shop
One of Ireland's longest-established media monitoring agencies News Extracts has ceased trading and its offices in Dublin and Belfast have closed. The company, which provided a print and broadcast tracking service for PR agencies, was acquired by the Swedish publicly quoted Observer AB group from Bill McHugh in 2001.
McHugh re-entered the media monitoring business two years ago by buying News Press Cuttings (NPC) from owner Irene Scott. Last month McHugh agreed a deal with Susan Murphy to buy News Monitoring, which offers clients a radio and TV tracking service from the same premises in Dublin as NPC.
McHugh said he planned to relaunch the business as News Access later this month.
Carlsberg trawl
Diageo is due to announce this month which advertising agency will handle Carlsberg creative work in Ireland. Tommy Kinsella, advertising manager of Diageo Ireland, said four agencies from Ireland and overseas were vying for the business. The overseas agencies are Saatchi & Saatchi in London and Wieden & Kennedy in Amsterdam.
The two Irish agencies are Owens DDB, which has handled Carlsberg for several years, and Irish International BBDO. These agencies will be hoping there is no repeat of what happened with Budweiser creative last year, when Irish International BBDO lost the famous American lager brand to DDB London.
FAI win
McConnells has won a €400,000 FAI Eircom League advertising and direct marketing campaign after a contest with DDFH&B-JWT and Ogilvy. Decisions on both the AIB and Tayto advertising reviews are due next week. Tayto is down to agencies DDFH&B-JWT and Cawley Nea/ TBWA and their presentations are out to research.
Six Nations downloads
O2 Ireland has signed up RTÉ rugby pundits George Hook and Brent Pope for a series of mobile video podcasts for the RBS Six Nations kicking off this weekend. Customers can download The Snug series to 3G handsets with O2's i-mode service and website.
Highlights from the Six Nations games will be available on video-capable i-mode handsets. Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll will provide a diary for i-mode customers.
The Snug is produced by Dublin digital agency, Random Thoughts Media.
PR hearings
Q4 and WHPR are among the PR agencies pitching for the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. Fleishman-Hillard resigned from the account last September after they were appointed to handle Newstalk and 98FM. A decision is expected by the end of March.
McConnells Fusion has been appointed as the PR agency for the Rotunda health group.
Creative test
Advertising agencies have until Wednesday, February 14th, to enter the latest Press Builds Brands competition run by the National Newspapers of Ireland and entitled "The Essential Pleasure of My Newspaper".
The winning agency team will share a grand prix prize of €10,000; the best use of copy and art are worth €5,000 respectively and the best student entry gets €1,000.
Entry forms can be downloaded from www.nni.ie
Michael Cullen is editor of Marketing, Ireland's marketing and media monthly.
