Blatant Product Placement

Anyone else think TV3's Irish Apprentice is full of blatant product placement?

Brand Accessories

Today's youth are tomorrow's branding future - they will be the ones doing the shopping for the family in the future, right?

Yes, today's young'ins seem to be obsessed with the brands splashed across the media, more concerned with who is wearing what and what the latest gadget is, but is 'food & drink branding' just as important to them?

It seems that some brands are working their way into the social scene of the younger generation (product placement,maybe or maybe not?) Star Bucks coffee cups, water brands such as Evian - all the latest accessories not to be seen without apparently!!

Are there any Irish 'brand accessories' out there?
Can't be seen without your bottle of Ballygowan whilst waltzing down Grafton Street? Hmmmmm....worth thinking about!

Can product placement work in Ireland?

Product Placement, a clever tool for building a brand and giving it national and worldwide exposure. We've all seen the strategically placed Coca-Cola glasses in front of the American Idol judges week in week out and not to mention the James Bond movies - take Casino Royale for example, it was practically a 2-hour long advert for Sony. In that film, every electronic gadget featured was a Sony — from the Sony Ericsson phones, to the Vaio laptops and Cybershot cameras, and even Bluray players!

With recent developments in the UK allowing broadcasters a more relaxed attitude toward product placement, Ireland will surely follow suit - could this bring opportunity to Irish brands who are hoping to breath life back into their brands? More importantly, would it work? If you saw blatant, in your face product placement of Irish brands on your favourite show or movie, would it entice you to that brand?

Food for thought

The top 3 Irish brands sent abroad are Tayto crisps (39%), Barry’s Tea (22%) and Cadbury’s chocolate (19%) - food for thought,huh??

Taste of Ireland

Is Irish Culture behind the success of Irish brands?

Our culture, identity and everything that goes into building and maintaining ''brand Ireland'' really does play a major part in the success driving such brands as Glenisk, Kilmeaden and Ballygowan.

Shoppers around the world can't get enough of our brands and the sense of ''Irishness'' that goes with them. Products from our fair isle scream heritage and quality but do Irish consumers buy into this?

Brand Loyalty Still There It Seems

It seems brand equity and loyalty is still influencing the choices made by consumers in the supermarket. According to research, of the 20 brands seen as the most powerful in Ireland, 13 of these were Irish!! Barry's Tea, Tayto, Ballygowan, Guinness and Bulmers were among those mentioned.

Promising, one would think, during the ever present recession. Most people still want that comfort of a brand that they know and trust. What Irish brands are out there that you can't live without and why? With a lot of shoppers reaching for the cheaper version, are there any brands that you just can't bare to 'downgrade'?

www.sbpost.ie (media and marketing/'Brand equity and loyalty still influence purchasing decisions')

Are we still seen as backward?

Hollywood can be a powerful force, it can shape the opinion of viewers on many issues. From 'Into the West' to 'PS I Love You', movies can give us a glimpse into Ireland and show the world that we exist and are pretty darn great!

However, Hollywood often tend to show an idealized view of Ireland, one of leprechauns and shamrocks - begorrah, begosh!!

Is this a good thing or a bad thing for selling 'brand Ireland' and raising our world profile? Any publicity is good publicity, right?

'Brand Ireland' taking on the Oscars!

Oscar time is almost upon us and Ireland has something to celebrate - Irish animators are being tipped for success after receiving Oscar nominations; The Secret of Kells - Best Animated Feature, Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty - Best Animated Short Film and The Door has been nominated in the Best Short Film category. A nod must also be given to animator Richard Baneham for Best Visual Effects category for his work on Avatar.

With the movie industry booming, this could be a prime opportunity for 'brand Ireland', a chance to shine on a world stage and remind people that this wee island of ours is worth its weight in gold! Can Ireland redeem itself through the silver screen?

Do store brands tickle our taste buds?

Leaflets through the front door, papers on the way into work in the morning - it's hard not to notice the huge adverts that supermarket chains have nowadays, things weren't always like this, were they?!

With special deals and cheaper alternative store brands thrust before our very eyes, it's hard not to be a little intrigued - but at what cost? Are store brands as tasty as they make them out to be or of better quality?

Can we survive the 'own brand' stamp?

Across the nation store own brands are becoming better in quality and a cheaper alternative to our favored Irish brands, but it seems that no product is safe (be it food, clothing etc)!!!

These mega supermarket chains and companies have their eyes on every single money making angle and if it's going to save the average joe on the street his recessionary cents and MAKE these companies more cash no product is safe from the 'own brand' stamp - it is a competitive market out there and survival of the fittest!

Private label brands, hit or miss?

With private label brands growing day in day out in Ireland, does branding even matter to people when doing their weekly shop? Tell us what you think?