Media&Marketing: It is expected that the Shark Awards International Advertising Festival of Ireland will return next year to its traditional home of Kinsale, unless the reaction of delegates to this year's venue of Ennis exceeds expectations.
Last year, the organisers left Kinsale and moved to Galway for what festival director John Holohan of the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI) said was for a "good reason", but this year, the event is moving to the Clare town.
Festival organisers are officially saying that they are "keeping their options open" about a return to Kinsale. The priority now is to promote Ennis in a bid to attract delegates and entries.
Mr Holohan described Ennis as "the world capital of traditional Irish music" and pointed out that those who missed the charm of Kinsale would be "pleasantly surprised by the medieval town on Ireland's west coast".
The International Festival of Ireland was re-branded as the Sharks in 1998, inspired by Kinsale's shark fishing tradition and bolstered by the introduction of a more businesslike agenda.
Most people in Irish advertising still refer to the event as "Kinsale". The popular view is that the character of the Cork seaside town, with its wide choice of bars and restaurants, best suits the festival's sociable atmosphere.
The IAPI recently urged agencies and production houses to submit entries and sign up as delegates. Entries account for about 60 per cent of festival revenue, with the rest in delegate fees. The delegate fee is €595 and numbers are limited to 400. First entries cost €65, with each subsequent entry €25.
For television, cinema, radio and online entries to be eligible, they must have been broadcast from the end of July last year to July 31st, 2005.
New sections launched this year include the Baby Shark, an award to salute young creatives, and another for viral media. Craft awards and a new director's award have been added to the Irish section.
RTÉ, TG4, TV3 and Setanta Sports, along with specialist production houses overseas, are being urged to enter a new section for television promos.
Festival board member Peter Brady of Windmill Lane said that television promos already had a platform internationally with the Promax awards.
Dan Wieden, co-founder of Wieden & Kennedy, the US agency known for its work for Nike and Honda, will chair the Sharks judging panel. He will be joined by the curiously-named Charity Charity, executive director of JWT Worldwide and Lenny Abrahamson, the Irish commercials director whose films include Adam and Paul.
RTÉ presenter Carrie Crowley will host the awards dinner.
The 43rd Sharks will be held in the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, from September 8th-11th. The closing date for entries is August 19th.
Gáis selects agency
DDFH&B-JWT has won the Bord Gáis advertising account, emerging triumphant from a final shortlist of four agencies.
The other agencies in contention for the €2 million account were Cawley Nea\TBWA, McCann-Erickson/Initiative Media and long-time incumbent, the Larkin Partnership.
The Commission for Energy Regulation is to make a decision before September 9th on whether or not to approve a 25 per cent increase in Bord Gáis prices to homeowners and small businesses.
Much-travelled marketer David Bunworth joins the company in September as head of gas, power and retail.
'Capital' launch
Magazine publisher Michael O'Doherty plans to launch a Dublin version of London's TimeOut in mid-October.
The entertainment weekly, to be called Capital, will compete with Trevor White's the Dubliner and such freesheets as Totally Dublin, In Dublin and the Event Guide.
But plans by Mr O'Doherty and John Ryan to launch an American version of celebrity monthly VIP have been "put on hold", no doubt a reaction to this week's unveiling of OK! in the US by Richard Desmond's Northern & Shell.
Mr Desmond is said to be investing $100 million (€81 million) in the venture. However, OK! faces stiff competition from established celebrity titles, not least Time Warner's People.
TNS for EU research
TNS mrbi is to conduct the qualitative element of the Standard Eurobarometer public opinion survey on social, economic and political issues in Ireland for the EU Commission. Lansdowne Market Research previously handled the study in Ireland.
Carat's media study
Media specialist Carat has launched a new research product. Consumer Connection Study aims to promote consumer understanding through the analysis of lifestyles, opinions, interests and behaviour by dividing Irish adults into 15 groups.
Simon Geraghty of Carat said "frappé fashionistas" were more likely to notice cinema and television advertisements, while "live to workers" are impressed by newspaper and online advertisements.
Carat's clients Vodafone, Bank of Ireland and Beiersdorf have used the study.
RTÉ business show
RTÉ is to air a new eight-part television series looking at Irish businesses across a range of sectors and each facing different commercial challenges.
The Mentor will be presented by Dr Jeanne Bolger, director of scientific licensing, GlaxoSmithKline and Jay Bourke, restaurateur and nightclub owner. Produced by Tyrone Productions and sponsored by Vodafone, the series starts in September on Tuesday nights.
Michael Cullen is editor of Marketing magazine
