Join us for a quick but insightful webinar exploring the rising impact of digital audio, with a special focus on podcasts - one of the most powerful yet under-utilised tools in the modern media mix.

🔍 What You’ll Learn: Why digital audio remains an untapped opportunity - and how to capitalise on it

Who’s tuning in: listener trends and how digital extends the reach of traditional radio

Proven ROI benchmarks from Irish and global campaigns Smart strategies: creative and data-led opportunities to drive performance

Whether you're a marketer, media planner, or brand leader, this session will show how digital audio can elevate your message and amplify results across all audience segments.

What AI Overviews are, and why they matter

The impact on organic and paid search visibility

Practical SEO and PPC implications to consider

How this connects with broader AI platforms and tools

What actions brands should be taking now

Retail Media is the fastest-growing area in advertising—and it’s about to transform the Irish market. Join our upcoming webinar to learn what Retail Media is, why it’s growing globally, and how your brand can benefit locally.

With Amazon.ie’s recent launch, existing players in the market, and other major retailers entering the space, now is the time to understand the opportunities and challenges ahead.

We’ll explore practical ways to activate campaigns and stay ahead in this evolving digital landscape. Join Colm Sherwin (Chief Digital & Investment Officer) and Dave Mulligan (Head of Programmatic) as they guide you this fast developing topic.

Influencer Marketing in the Attention Economy:

The session opens by reframing the influencer space—now widely referred to as the Creator Economy—emphasising its explosive growth in the era of short-form video. With platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels reshaping content consumption, brands must adapt to fast-paced, real-feeling content to break through.

Amplified Intelligence reports that average active attention on social is just 2.5 seconds, pushing brands to focus on formats that are native, dynamic, and less polished.

The Rise and Impact of the Creator Economy:

The Creator Economy is no longer niche. Goldman Sachs valued it at $250 billion in 2023, projecting it to almost double by 2027. Influencers—more accurately described as “people of influence”—play a powerful role, particularly with younger audiences. Core’s research shows that 54% of adults under 30 say influencers are more impactful than TV or radio on their purchasing decisions.

Evidence of Impact:

Campaign results from Core clients demonstrate the power of creator-first content:

• 84% increase in average view time per person using TikTok-style copy.

• 72% higher average watch time vs. polished content.

• 171% higher completion rate than traditional video formats.

These results underscore the effectiveness of creator-driven storytelling over traditional polish.

Barriers and How to Overcome Them:

1. Lack of Strategy:
   Many businesses jump into influencer marketing without a long-term plan. Core’s Influencer Selection Framework uses weighted criteria (e.g., engagement rate, reach, D&I fit) to remove subjectivity and focus on results-driven partnerships.

2. Perceived Risk:
   While some brands fear backlash, the risk is manageable. Clear contracts, regulatory alignment, and getting to know the creator behind the content are all critical safeguards.

3. Measuring Success:
   Core prioritises rigorous planning and objective-setting from the outset, helping brands measure influencer impact—from brand awareness to conversion and ROAS.

Influencer Integration in Paid Social:

Rather than operating in silos, the speakers advocate for syncing influencer content with paid media. Benefits include:

• Extended reach beyond organic limitations (e.g., Meta’s 5% organic reach average).

• Boosted engagement via viral potential and paid amplification.

• Lower funnel success, driving conversions through direct response strategies.

• High-quality native creative that performs better on platforms like TikTok.

Case Study: An Post Book Club on TikTok:

Unpost’s award-winning influencer strategy tapped into the #BookTok community to launch Ireland’s first TikTok-based book club. Collaborations with high-profile creators:

• Increase brand affinity by 6%

• Drive 23% year-on-year growth in parcel sales

By combining community trends with authentic content and high-impact paid media formats, An Post reached a new generation while reinforcing its brand relevance.

Key Takeaways for Brands:

• Build a long-term influencer strategy—it's the difference between good results and great ones.

• Integrate influencer plans with media plans to enhance efficiency and return.

• Find your authentic space in digital communities and trends.

• Commit to consistency—an always-on strategy with key firework moments throughout the year delivers compounding brand and business gains.

In this episode of Digital Now and Next, the team explores how search and social media are converging and how changing consumer behaviours, especially among Gen Z, are driving this shift.

Key Points:

1. Shifting Consumer Behaviour:

   • Over 50% of Gen Z now prefer using TikTok and Instagram for search over Google. This change is transforming how users discover and consume content online.

2. Impact on Search and Social Strategies:

   • Social platforms like TikTok and Instagram are becoming more search-oriented, while Google is incorporating more visual content and AI-driven results to stay competitive.

3. Planning Holistic Strategies:

   • To stay effective, brands must integrate search and social strategies, using consistent messaging and unified planning to leverage the strengths of both channels.

4. New Opportunities for Advertisers:

   • Platforms are enhancing features like visual search and in-platform e-commerce, creating fresh avenues for brands to engage users and drive conversions.

5. Focus on Authentic Content:

   • As consumers become more discerning, content should be people-first, not algorithm-first, to build trust and engagement.

The episode concludes by highlighting the need for a holistic approach to digital strategies, embracing the symbiotic relationship between search and social to optimise brand visibility and engagement.

In this episode of Digital Now and Next, the team explores the evolution of video advertising and how marketers can adapt to maximise its impact in a fragmented media landscape.

Key Points:

1. Challenges in Video Advertising:

   • Despite video consumption growing by 60% over the last decade, its effectiveness has declined. Fragmentation and poor ad quality are key issues impacting results.

2. Focus on Content and Context:

   • The session highlights the need to focus more on what and where ads are served rather than just how they’re served. Planning should prioritise engaging content that captures attention and resonates with the audience.

3. The Impact of Cookie Deprecation:

   • The death of third-party cookies is seen as an opportunity to return to thoughtful planning, focusing on understanding consumer behaviour and creating more personalised content.

4. Leveraging Local Content:

   • Emphasising local content and partnerships is crucial, as Irish audiences respond strongly to local stories and culturally relevant media.

5. Balancing Long-Term Brand Building and Short-Term Sales:

   • While tactical sales messages are essential, 75% of advertising impact is driven by long-term brand building. Brands should focus on campaigns that build demand rather than overwhelming audiences with excessive, low-impact messages.

6. The Role of AI:

   • AI and machine learning can help automate lower-funnel tasks, enabling marketers to focus more on upper-funnel strategies like brand building and creativity.

The episode concludes by urging brands to simplify their strategies, focus on emotional connections, and optimise the use of AI to improve campaign efficiency and effectiveness.