On 29th December I hosted the 2021 Immersive Tech Review with panelists Alan Smithson and Julie Smithson from MetaVRse and Judity Okonkwo from Imisi 3D. Our discussion was wide-ranging covering events such as new launches from Snap, Niantic, no and lo-code game engines, Microsoft Mesh, acquisitions that made headlines including Wikitude, Pico and Sketchfab, the growing participation of women in XR, hardware launches from HP, Pico and Varjo.  And of course the big story of 2021, FB morphing into Meta.... #metaverse #immersivetech #xr2021 #immersivetechnology #ar #vr

Feature interview with Mal Stevenson, former Creative Director Irish International /BBDO Dublin and David O'Sullivan, director of Ignition and Bloodychic.com where we dissect four popular Christmas adverts gracing Irish television screens this festive season: Woodies, Supervalu, Lidl and Tesco.  #christmasads #advertising #adstrategy 

In this podcast I interview Mal Stevenson who was Creative Director at Irish International when the Guinness Christmas advert was first aired in 2003. In a wide-ranging interview we discuss the creative brief behind the advert, the creative idea and execution elements of what has become one of Ireland's most-loved adverts. Thanks also to Dave O'Sullivan from Ignition for helping to set up the interview. #advertising #Christmasads #Guinnessadvertising

In this podcast we are rejoined by Kay Mc Carthy from planning agency MCCP to discuss the impact that the Covid crisis has had on consumer sentiment. We trace many of the likely implications for marketers. In part two of the podcast an interview with Finola Mc Dermott from the marketing team at EPIC in Dublin's CHQ.

On this edition of the show Dave Byrne, Head of Creative at Thinkhouse, discusses the marketing opportunities offered by the TikTok platform with a case-study on the campaign they ran on behalf of client Goodfellas for their Pizza Pockets brand. Also on the show in Part Two, an interview with author David Kerrigan about his latest book 'Unlock your Learning'. In the interview we discuss how breakthroughs in Cognitive Psychology in recent decades, coupled with unprecedented levels of access to learning opportunities, herald a new golden age of learning.

On this episode of The Persuaders -- the topic of innovation is one that we have covered numerous times on the show, but never from the perspective of philosophy. Professor Xavie Pavie, who lectures at top French business school ESSEC's Singapore campus, is an acknowledged global thinker in how companies can be more responsible in their innovation strategy, especially by framing their thinking in a philosophical way.

Prof. Pavie's contact information: www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-pavie-75a5374/

In part two of the show (19'10" ) Edel Mc Partland from the Sligo Park Hotel describes their marketing approach, as they prepare to reopen their doors to the public following a long lockdown due to Covid restrictions.

If you would like to contact us here on the show with a topic idea or some general feedback –we would love to hear from you – drop us a line persuaders@dublincityfm.ie

Keywords: #responsibleinnovation #philosophy #innovation #ESSEC 

Presenter: Alex Gibson
Producer: Kamila Lewandowska

In this edition of the show, we have as interviewees: Damian Young, founder and CEO of ZEUS Scooters - an Irish company deploying the World's FIRST 3-​wheeled electric scooter for the urban mobility sharing market. Launched in the city of Heidelberg in Germany in June 2020, ZEUS Scooters has expanded to 17 cities in Germany, making it the fastest expanding Micro Mobility company in Germany.

We are also joined by Ciaran Fitzpatrick the founder of Cookie Dó, which is part of Aldi's Grow with Aldi programme. Cookie Dó was founded in the kitchen of Irish speaking 'Aon Scéal Café', in Tallaght Village Dublin. They spent 2020 perfecting the cookie and coming up with new and unique flavours.

Presenter: Alex Gibson
Producer: Kamila Lewandowska

In this episode of The Persuaders, we talk to Ray Sheerin who founded the Chemistry advertising agency about the need for advertisers to be prepared to take risks in their creative strategy. We discuss IPA research that points to award winning work effectiveness being on the decline.

Plus, Pearse Keller from KelAir Campotel discusses how his company has had to seek new markets as Covid decimated their Irish holiday segment.

The CXi Report is published annually by The CX Company which is based in Dublin. It is based on an annual survey which is carried out on behalf of the company, by Amarách Research.

Between the 13th July to 17th August this year a cross section of 2,500 Irish consumers were asked about their customer experiences with 151 brands across ten sectors.

In this podcast Alex Gibson interviews the founder of The CX Company, Michael Killeen. As well as discussing the CXi Report there is a wide ranging discussion on the place of CX in today's business world and the impact of COVID on CX activity

In this episode an interview with Jennifer Condon and Adam Fulham, founders of The Irish Start-up Conference, taking place online on Tuesday 27th April 2021.

In addition to the content of the conference we discussed:

How has the Covid impacted on start-ups? Issue of scaling up seems to be important - how can small businesses plan for this? And what is of interest for the marketing audience in particular. We discuss how the conference has evolved and its interesting structure build to accommodate a significant US speaker input.

Presenter: Alex Gibson
Producer: Kamila Lewandowska

In this edition, we talk the co-founders of The Indie List, Una Herlihy and Peter Mc Partlin. The Indie List promises to bring together the best strategic, creative and technical skills in Ireland for the benefit of businesses and agencies seeking meet the demands of a fast-evolving business environment with maximum flexibility, efficiency and impact.

In Part 2 of the show, Diarmuid O'Riordan from Braveherders.ie discusses how they are leveraging digital marketing strategies to boost sales of beef from a rare Irish native breed- the Dexter.

Presenter: Alex Gibson
Producer: Kamila Lewandowska

In Part 1 of this Podcast, an interview with Belinda Barker, Chief Executive of World Media Group about their recently produced research report and survey on Content Led Marketing trends.

Among the topics we explored are: How do you define content led advertising? How many years has the survey been running? How has proportion on content-led advertising changed since last survey in 2020? We also explore the issue of brand safety --what exactly is brand safety in this context? And we preview the World Media Awards which are now accepting entries.

In Part 2 of the podcast, starting at 17 minutes in, I talked with leading marketing author and consultant, Thomas Barta. Thomas is one of the world's foremost thinkers, speakers and writers on the subject of marketing leadership. A former McKinsey partner, he co-authored the path-breaking leadership book 'The 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader' and has consulted for some of the world's most prominent brands. In our interview we explore how marketers can build their leadership capabilities among other C-suite executives.

Thomas has a number of practical suggestions to do this. We also discuss the popular Marketing Leadership Masterclass that has begun to run in an e-learning format. marketingleadershipmasterclass.com/

Presenter: Alex Gibson
Producer: Kamila Lewandowska

In Part 1 of this edition of The Persuaders, an interview with Aidan Duff who is an expert in Amazon Selling. We explore the systems that are needed to take advantage of the digital marketplace, and in Part 2, John Dunne, CEO of Ignite Digital examines the changing nature of the digital advertising landscape including the challenges posed by the imminent demise of cookies.

With more than 50% of expenditure on advertising now going on digital, we explore the need this creates for strategic digital media planning.

Presenter: Alex Gibson
Producer: Kamila Lewandowska

In this episode of The Persuaders, a feature interview with Dr. Alex Gordon, founder of Sign Salad, an agency specialising in semiotic analysis.

Alex Gordon has worked as a semiotician for 20 years and has led cultural insight projects across five continents for global blue-chip brands such as Unilever, PepsiCo, Airbnb, Ritz-Carlton, Diageo, Kraft Heinz, HSBC, Danone, Pfizer, Colgate Palmolive, Kellogg's, Nestlé.

Prior to founding Sign Salad in 2007, he established the semiotics & cultural insight division at Flamingo, a strategic brand consultancy and qualitative research agency.

We began the interview by tracing Alex's career pathway which culminated in his establishing Sign Salad, before discussing how semiotics fits into the broader market research landscape today. Alex discusses how cultural change impacts on unconscious consumer behaviour and attitude to brands, and how marketers can gain greater control over brand meaning by using the right visuals and language across touchpoints. Several practical insights are drawn from examples in the tea, coffee and fast-fashion markets.

In this episode of The Persuaders, Alex Gibson talks to Marketing Institute of Ireland Chief Executive David Field, in advance of the annual DMX marketing conference which takes place on March 25th, and Martha Kearns, from Storylab.ie talks about the role storytelling can play in developing brands.

In this episode of the show, an extended interview with Paul Dervan, author of Run With Foxes - must-read collection of real-life stories, revealing the messy reality of decision-making in marketing and the secrets of making better decisions.

In the interview Paul gives his insights gleaned from 20 years in marketing, working for high-profile brands, creating new ones and helping to rescue those that have got in trouble.