Written by Shona Smith on Jul 9, 2019. Posted in General Interest

IAPI unveils “Ireland: Where Creative is Native” platform

IAPI (Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland) has unveiled “Ireland. Where Creative is Native”, a new platform looking to raise the profile of the Irish advertising industry domestically and internationally.

Charley Stoney, CEO of IAPI explains that the role of the institute is to promote Ireland “as a centre of excellence for those brand owners wishing to have an English-speaking hub with access to the Eurozone. Obviously, this is particularly relevant with Brexit in mind”, adding that “the positioning, and the strategic work that we have done over the last twelve months has led us to a really interesting platform”. 

“Ireland. Where Creative is Native is based on the narrative of Ireland itself over the last twenty years” Stoney explains, “Ireland itself is the most progressive society in Europe now, which is a significant transformation when compared to where we were with the first pope’s visit in the Seventies – we have kicked over the tresses of our Catholic heritage considerably”. The evidence of which lies in the number of firsts Ireland can claim - “the first country to put a tax on plastic bags, to ban smoking, and to voluntarily vote for gay marriage” to name only a few.

Irish Cannes Young Lions in Creative is Native T-shirts

“We feel that as a society we are truly progressive” Stoney continues, “as a brand owner wanting access to those that live, breathe and work in a progressive society - and want to resonate with progressive and new cultures - we are a great place to house that creative spirit”. Moreover, the Irish advertising industry was instrumental in achieving these changes “yes, there was a social movement, but someone had to communicate to those people about these new changes, and about how they could shape society, and it was our industry that crafted those messages down from the top into the greater public and we helped to considerably transform our own society”.

The new platform also plays “on the fact that creativity is in our DNA” says Stoney. Notable Irish creations range from Ulysses and Father Ted, to colour photography, the submarine and shorthand writing, and “we continue to be this society that has its finger on the pulse, and a creative environment which has its finger on the pulse”.

As Ireland’s festival representative for Cannes Lions, IAPI bring the Irish contingent to the French Riviera each year, recording the highest attendance ever of Irish people at the 2019 event. “Cannes is a hugely important part of our journey towards putting ourselves on the world’s advertising stage” Stoney explains, “and we decided to create a feeling around being Irish that was more than any other year” culminating in the inaugural team Ireland lunch.

From Left to right: Ross Keane, Account Director, Adam & Eve, London, Charley Stoney, CEO IAPI, and St. John Walshe, CEO, BBDO Americas

In front of an influential international audience including St John Walshe, CEO of BBDO The Americas; John Harris, CEO Worldwide Partners; Ross Keane, Adam & Eve, London; Jean-Frederic Garcia, CEO, The Location Guide; leaders of Irish and Northern Irish agencies including Publicis, JWT Folk, Rothco, Ardmore Advertising and Core Media; as well as clients including Diageo, Paddy Power Betfair and Heineken, IAPI unveiled the new platform.

Stoney concludes that “the support amongst our members for “Ireland. where creative is Native” is astounding. Everyone understands that when you are in a small country - and because you are in a small country each agency in itself is even smaller. The lunch was celebrating the team Ireland spirit, and the collaboration that is happening now in the Irish market for international festivals which is summed up with the rallying cry “Ireland Before Agency”. We have to have a collective view and a collective rallying cry to attract national business. And that is where we are so powerful”.