• Haleon will be a new world-leader in consumer health with an exceptional portfolio of category-leading brands, including Sensodyne, Voltaren, Panadol and Centrum
• Business is on track to demerge and list as a new company in mid-2022

GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) today announced that the new company, to result from the proposed demerger of Consumer Healthcare from GSK in mid-2022, will be called Haleon.

Haleon (pronounced “Hay-Lee-On”) is inspired by the merging of the words ‘Hale’, which is an old English word that means ‘in good health’ and Leon, which is associated with the word ‘strength’. The new brand identity was developed with input from employees, healthcare practitioners and consumers and will be deployed in more than 100 markets around the world where the business operates.

The creation of Haleon results from a series of successful investments and strategic changes to GSK’s consumer health business over the last 8 years, including integrations of the consumer product portfolios from Novartis and Pfizer. It is now a highly valuable and focused global business generating annual sales of approximately £10 billion[i].

As a standalone company, Haleon will be a new world-leader in consumer healthcare, offering a compelling proposition – to bring deep human understanding together with trusted science – to deliver better everyday health with humanity.

Brian McNamara, Chief Executive Officer Designate, Haleon, said: “Introducing Haleon to the world marks another step in our journey to become a new, standalone company. Our name is grounded in our purpose to deliver better everyday health with humanity and to be a world-leader in consumer healthcare. We are on track to launch Haleon in mid-2022 and our business momentum is strong. We look forward to updating investors and analysts more on this at our capital markets event at the end of February.”

Emma Walmsley, Chief Executive Officer, GSK, said: “Haleon brings to life years of hard work by many outstanding people to build this new company purely dedicated to everyday health. Haleon has enormous potential to improve health and wellbeing across the world with strong prospects for growth, and through listing will unlock significant value for GSK shareholders.”

In Ireland, GSK Consumer Healthcare employs 930 people. 900 are located in Dungarvan, while a 30 strong sales and commercial team based in Dublin manage the Consumer Healthcare portfolio of products and sell to customers in Ireland. Dungarvan is one of the largest manufacturing sites in GSK’s Consumer Health network.

Dave Barrett, Country Manager of GSK Consumer Healthcare in Ireland, said: “I am delighted to drive this exciting chapter in our company history together with the fantastic Ireland team. We will continue to be an important partner for consumers, customers and healthcare practitioners to ensure Haleon delivers better everyday health with humanity. We are very proud of our market leading and globally trusted brands, including household names like Sensodyne, Corsodyl, Centrum, and of course Panadol which is made in Ireland.

Over the past forty years, our Panadol facility in Dungarvan has become one of the largest manufacturing sites in GSK’s Consumer Health network, producing both ‘over the counter’ pain relief and oral healthcare products for global supply to over 70 markets. We are well positioned to grow our business in Ireland over the coming years, and we look forward to keeping our teams in Dublin and Waterford updated every step of the way.”

Conor Tolan, Site Director of GSK Dungarvan in Ireland, said: “2022 promises to be a landmark year for our dedicated 900 strong team in Dungarvan. As a focused Consumer Healthcare business, we will continue to supply the same portfolio of trusted global brands including Panadol and Poligrip and look forward to launching future innovations that will enable us to service even more customers and grow our business to ensure that Haleon delivers better everyday health with humanity for consumers right across the world. We have a very exciting road ahead of us.”

Haleon will have a world-class portfolio of category-leading global brands, including Sensodyne, Voltaren, Panadol and Centrum. Its brands are trusted by healthcare professionals, customers and people worldwide to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and their communities. Demand from the £150 billion consumer healthcare sector is strong, reflecting an increased focus on health and wellness, significant demand from an ageing population and emerging middle-class, and unmet consumer needs. The business is therefore well-positioned to deliver human health impact and to sustainably grow ahead of the market in the years to come.

The new name was announced as part of a global celebration for all of the people working in GSK Consumer Healthcare earlier today.  Employees from around the world had the opportunity to engage with the new name and brand identity which seeks to bring to life the company’s purpose and growth ambitions.

The name was also announced in advance of GSK hosting a Consumer Healthcare Capital Markets Day for investors and analysts on Monday 28 February, to provide details on the overall strategy, capabilities and operations of Haleon, including detailed financial information and growth ambitions of the business. For prospective investors, Haleon will offer attractive organic sales growth, operating margin expansion and consistent high cash generation.

• 70% of people say they focus on their mental health as much as their physical health
• 29% of people intend to cut back on social media this year
• Sleep is top new intention for over one third of the public

With three in four people feeling healthy and in control of their personal well-being this year, its clear that healthy habits picked up during the pandemic are here stay according to the latest Health Report from Core, Irelands largest marketing communications agency.

The research found that a balanced approach to both physical and mental health is more important than ever, with 70% of people saying they now focus on their mental health just as much as their physical.

60% of the population exercise at least once a week while monitoring their diet to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, the report also reveals that people plan to continue to take a more holistic approach towards their health through a variety of self care and well-being activities including:

• Cutting back on social media (29% intend to start this in 2022)

• Embracing the great outdoors by getting out in nature (22% intend to start this in 2022)
• Prioritising enough sleep each night (31% intend to start this in 2022)

Following quality of life (71%) and mental well-being (68%), some of the most important health goals of the adult population for 2022 include:

• Being free of disease (69%)
• Being free of pain (65%)
• Having lower stress levels (61%)

Since Core began tracking the Irish nations attitudes and  behaviours towards health and fitness in 2016, stress has been a dominating emotion in most people’s lives.  While it continues to be the emotion most felt by over a quarter (28%) of the adult population in the past 6 months, this is a significant drop compared to 2021 (-8%).

Co-author of the report, and Senior Research Manager at Core, Lindsey McAteer, says:

“In 2022 citizens will substitute virtual spaces with physical and sociable outlets. While there is still a demand for wearable fitness devices and tracking via apps, the intended uptake of virtual/online alternatives to working out and talking to friends or family has decreased in favour of visiting gyms and exercise classes.

What is most evident from the Core Research HEALTH 2022 report is how we intend to maintain our focus on health. As highlight as one of the five central themes of our PREDICT 22 report, Health and Well-Being is a key component of how people live their life in Ireland. Acknowledging how health incorporates food, fitness and well-being is now fully established in the Irish psyche.”

Research fieldwork was conducted by Core Research, 1,000 adults interviewed online in January 2022, representative of the adult population of Ireland.

To read the full report, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/smart-links/AQFunGhBGq3vMg

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Core Research is part of Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications company. Core employs a team of 330 people and consists of eight practices – Creative, Data, Investment, Learning, Media (comprising of Mediaworks, Spark Foundry, Starcom, and Zenith), Research, Sponsorship, and Strategy.

• Full purchase of the NFT and percentage of each transfer will be donated to DSPCA’s animal shelters

• Two iconic dog memes – Egg Dog and This is Fine Dog – part of first ‘litter’ available to purchase online

The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), Ireland’s oldest and largest animal welfare organisation, has today unveiled NwooFT, a campaign reimagining viral dog memes as NFT’s (Non-fungible tokens) to generate funds directly for the charity in collaboration with Rothco, part of Accenture Interactive.

The project will see all proceeds go directly to the DSPCA. The full initial purchase of the NFT – and a percentage of each subsequent transfer – will be donated to the animal shelter, generating actual money to help real dogs. You can purchase the NFTs, along with instructions on how to do so, here: https://nwooft.dog/

Each drop of NFTs provide a combination of two iconic dog memes, showcasing a wide array of art styles and aesthetics. The first ‘litter’ is a combination of two of the internet’s greats: Egg Dog and This is Fine Dog. A second wave is set to launch shortly. The number of variations and degree of rarity depends on the size and strength of each ‘litter’.

This is the first NFT collection released by Rothco, part of Accenture Interactive.

As the buzz around cryptocurrency and NFTs grows by the day, so too do the possibilities of what can be achieved in this space. As excitement and intrigue continues to spread online, there is a growing potential for the world of NFTs to become a place to connect and grow cause-based communities in real life and support charitable causes.

The team at Rothco realised their desire to explore and evolve the NFT space was perfectly aligned with the needs of the DSPCA and to help them reach a wider audience. Thus, NwooFT was born – a campaign that sees the agency reimagine some of the internet’s favourite dog memes as NFTs to generate donations for real life dogs in need.

Tobin Nageotte, technology and innovation director at Rothco, part of Accenture Interactive, comments: “NwooFT is really just an experiment. There is so much cynicism around NFTs – they’re speculative, a passing fad, waste of time/money, etc. But decentralisation via Web3 will have a very real and seismic impact on our industry and it’s important that we’re out ahead of the change. Beyond helping out a great cause, what we learned on NwooFT really opened our eyes to the massive creative and strategic opportunities that come with Web3.”

Suzanne McGovern, corporate relations manager at DSPCA, adds: “The DSPCA are very excited about NwooFT as it allows us as a charity to engage with a new online community. We get to reach a wider audience, raise awareness of the work we do for animals and bolster our fundraising efforts in a new and exciting way. Watch this space.”

An Post has unveiled two new stamps to celebrate the centenary of the publication of James Joyce’s celebrated book Ulysses.

Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential pieces of modernist literature, Ulysses was initially published as a series of stories in an American journal and was first published as a complete novel on 2 February 1922 – James Joyce’s 40th birthday. The book chronicles a single day (16 June 1904 – now celebrated as Bloomsday) in the lives of Stephen Dedalus along with husband-and-wife Leopold and Molly Bloom as they meander through the streets and suburbs of Dublin.

The Ulysses 100 stamps from An Post were designed by Amsterdam-based Irish designers, The Stone Twins. The stamp design is intentionally unorthodox, challenging, and unexpected, as well as modernist – exactly what you would expect from Ulysses.

Inspired by James Joyce’s use of the ‘Gilbert Schema’ within Ulysses, the two-stamp design consists of a total of 18 sections, which signify the number of chapters in the book. The stamp design overlays the colours and structure defined in Joyce’s ‘Gilbert Schema’, with photographs captured by renowned photographer JJ Clarke, a doctor from Castleblayney in Co. Monaghan who took vivid images of daily life in Dublin when he was a medical student there between 1897 and 1904. As Ulysses is particularly famous for challenging the conventions of language, the inverted type used in the stamp design was chosen to reflect Joyce’s experimental use of language.

An Post expects strong interest in the Ulysses 100 stamps at home and abroad from collectors, the Joycean community, and those with an interest in literature. The specially designed First Day Cover, a souvenir envelope, features a JJ Clarke photograph of 14-18 Ormond Quay Lower and Swifts Row, taken from the South Quays and featuring the River Liffey. The First Day Cover also features both of the Ulysses 100 stamps and a special cancellation mark.

The Ulysses 100 stamps and a special First Day Cover commemorative envelope are available at selected post offices nationwide and online at www.anpost.com/shop

An Post CEO, David McRedmond said: “The claims for Ulysses as the greatest novel of the 20th Century, and the first great modern novel, remain vibrant. Its 100th anniversary shows something else: that Ulysses is as relevant now as a work of art as when it was written. These stamps reflect the unique mix of modernism and classicism that define the novel.”

Internationally renowned Joycean expert, Senator David Norris said: “Frozen in time the images on these stamps illustrate remarkably the period of James Joyce’s Ulysses in 1904. It is tempting to think that in the world of fiction these stamps might have adorned Bloom’s letter to Martha Clifford. I congratulate An Post on their production to mark the centenary of the publication of Ulysses.”

Alan Cox to step down in Q2 2022 after leading the company for 15 years

Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications company, has announced the appointment of Aidan Greene as the new CEO of the business. His appointment will be effective from 4 April, 2022. Following a planned succession strategy, Alan Cox is departing Core to launch a software business specialising in the area of business transformation.

Since his appointment as Deputy CEO in 2014, Aidan has worked alongside Alan to lead a team who have transformed Core from a number of media agencies, to a growing business providing full-solution services to the marketing communications sector. This established integrated approach offers expertise across eight practices which provides unrivalled insights and allows for greater creativity for clients. Core has also been successful in retaining significant media accounts, while also growing brands through their work in Creative, Research, Sponsorship, Strategy and Data.

Aidan’s appointment as CEO marks a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation and development of Core as a multi-service agency with a commitment to deliver the highest standards of client service while driving tangible business results. Aidan will also continue his ongoing work with the Senior Management team to continue developing a culture of collaboration in the workplace which has led to Core consistently being awarded a ‘Great Place to Work’ accolade for over a decade.

Speaking on his departure, Alan Cox said:

“I have enjoyed my time in Core immensely. It has been a great privilege to work with so many wonderful people within the organisation itself and across the clients, media owners and other partners that I have collaborated with over the last 15 years. I am delighted that the Board has chosen Aidan Greene to take over; he is an exceptional practitioner and will be a brilliant CEO. The company has a very exciting future ahead.”

Aidan Greene added:

“Working with Alan has been an invaluable experience. He is an incredible leader whose expertise and friendship I have valued over the years. His understanding of the ever-changing media industry landscape and his passion for learning and development to meet the needs of our clients and team is something I will continue. I’m looking forward to this new role and am confident that alongside Core’s established and experienced leadership team, we are in a unique position to offer clients a truly collaborative, more powerful solution.”

Patrick Coveney, Chair of Core’s Board of Directors, said:

“On behalf of the Board of Core, we are delighted to appoint Aidan as our new CEO. In addition to his outstanding leadership skills, he has a wealth of media industry and agency experience as well as a significant track record in organisation building, strategy, talent development, fostering diversity, and change management.

“Working alongside Alan over the past decade, Aidan has been central to the extraordinary transformation of Core. We all look forward to working with him as CEO to lead Core into the next phase of growth and development. Aidan is also just a super person, with the values, drive, humility and followership to be a great CEO.

“Of course, I would also like to thank Alan for his extraordinary commitment, skill and contribution to building the Core of today over the past 15 years. It has been a privilege and pleasure to work with him and we wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

With nearly three decades of experience, Aidan was previously the Managing Director of media planning and buying agency, MediaVest (now called Spark Foundry). He launched the direct response media agency, Clear Blue Water, in 2005, before taking the reins of MediaVest in 2007. He has also worked in Ogilvy & Mather and Carat. Aidan spent two years as President of the Institute of Advertising Practitioners of Ireland (IAPI) and is currently Chairperson of the Board of the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival. He has lectured in the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Fitzwilliam Institute.

Core employs a team of 330 people and consists of eight practices – Creative, Data, Investment, Learning, Media (comprising of Mediaworks, Spark Foundry, Starcom, and Zenith), Research, Sponsorship, and Strategy.

www.onecore.ie

@Core_IRL