– Event to take place on Wednesday, September 24th at Medley, Dublin 2
– New advertising research from NewsBrands Ireland and ColourText into youth news engagement will be launched at the event
6 August 2025. NewsBrands Ireland has announced the return of its highly anticipated annual Power of Planning Competition, taking place on Wednesday, September 24th at Medley, Dublin 2.
The event will also feature the launch of new advertising research into young people’s engagement with journalism from trusted news brands, conducted by NewsBrands Ireland in collaboration with award-winning research agency ColourText. The research offers fresh insights into how 15–30-year-olds interact with news content and what drives their trust, attention, and loyalty – valuable context for media planners and advertisers alike.
The Power of Planning competition invites junior media planners (with three years’ experience or less) from Ireland’s media agencies to participate in a one-day challenge that combines creativity, strategy, and deep engagement with Ireland’s national news brands.
Designed to celebrate and showcase the power of news media in both digital and print formats, the event gives participants the opportunity to develop an original and impactful media plan based on a live brief. Teams of up to six people will have the full day to prepare and present their plans, which will be judged across four categories:
- Interpretation of the Brief
- Strategic Thinking
- Best Use of the Medium
- Best Use of Budget
Throughout the day, participants will also have the chance to network with advertising representatives from Ireland’s leading news publishers ( DMG Media, Business Post Group, News Ireland, The Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Reach Ireland, and the Irish Farmers Journal), gain valuable audience and brand insights, and explore new creative possibilities informed by the latest industry research and case studies.
The winning team will be awarded the prestigious NewsBrands Ireland Power of Planning Trophy, along with a selection of prizes. Last year’s competition was won by a team from Starcom, part of Core. The fictitious brief was to create a media plan for an organic, sustainable food brand that was launching a new Mexican range for summer.
Entry Details:
Spaces are limited to one team per agency. To register, agencies must email Lisa Buckley at lbuckley@newsbrands.ie with the names of their team members no later than Monday, September 8th.
