Media Planner of the Month: Anne McNamara,Senior Offline Planning & Investment Manager, dentsu Ireland
How did you get into the advertising industry?
I had a keen interest in advertising in particular Out Of Home (OOH) and the innovative and creative nature of OOH campaigns. I began my advertising career with (Kinetic) now Talon, I spent 8 years there specialising in Out Of Home (OOH). During this time I was managing many agencies OOH campaigns for clients such as Jameson, Vodafone & General Mills. The opportunity arose to explore a range of media with Dentsu such as Press, Radio, Cinema, OOH and most recently Digital Audio. This variety of media allows me to explore, experience and network within many areas of the advertising industry. It is very exciting to be part of the emergence of Digital Audio advertising industry in Ireland.
What is your proudest career highlight?
There have been many great moments and campaigns throughout my career that stand out, but my proudest career highlight would have to be working on an Innovative audio campaign for Darkness into Light for Electric Ireland. We used the Shake Me feature to encourage listeners to ‘shake to donate’ to Pieta House who provide supports for people and families who are affected by suicide and mental health.
What are your reasons for using news brands in your media plans?
Print media is a trusted medium by its consumers, and when readers trust the content and journalism they react positively, when they see a brand advertising in this space – this trust creates a positive relationship towards the brand and how the brand is consumed.
What’s your favourite ad campaign featured in news brands?
Dunnes recurring campaigns are my favourite, they are a consistent brand running in the News brands titles showcasing weekly grocery offers along with season specific ads like Valentines Day & Mother’s Day – simple clear creative and strategic placement of ads makes their print campaigns super effective.
What role does journalism play in your life?
Peer reviewed and fact checked journalism allows me to make informed decisions on the issues I may be unfamiliar with. Journalism is a valuable resource in media as fake news can cause misrepresentation of information leading to misinformed choices.
You’re a journalist for a day: what would you cover?
Digital literacy. Working in the area of advertising and understanding the labour it takes to create a campaign for a client and understanding that a huge number of potential consumers are not aware of, or how to interact with this medium in Ireland. They are usually groups most vulnerable such as older people and people with disabilities.
How do you switch off from work?
Usually hanging out with my family, cooking dinner and hearing all about each other’s day. With children around its very busy until its not, so appreciating the stories and snippets of their day is a wonderful way to switch off and focus on them.
Who would be your 3-dream dinner party guests?
David Attenborough to hear about his vast lived experience, Adele Atkins for the comedy and karaoke. And lastly, Michelle Obama for her wisdom and insight to how things worked in the White House.
