Twenty dynamic and exciting Irish fiction authors feature in a new initiative from the An Post Irish Book Awards called ‘New Voices 20 Best New Irish Writers’.

Focused on showcasing a new generation of incredible Irish writers who are reshaping the literary landscape with their fresh perspectives and captivating storytelling, the list was curated through nominations from publishers, booksellers and librarians nationwide.

 

This new wave of Irish writers is infusing the literary landscape with vibrant voices that blend tradition with modernity. Their sharp, insightful prose has garnered much acclaim, resonating with both Irish and global audiences. This new literary talent is not only preserving Ireland’s rich storytelling heritage, but also pushing its boundaries, making contemporary Irish literature even more dynamic and globally relevant than ever before.

 

The nominated authors could be working in any genre of fiction, must have had no more than two books published over the past decade, and be Irish by birth, citizenship or long-term residence. A panel of literary experts then selected the 20 authors, highlighting some of the most exciting new talents in contemporary literature.

 

The list, of which there is no overall winner, will also be promoted nationwide in bookshops and libraries during September to celebrate the 20 authors ahead of the An Post Irish Book Awards 2024 campaign.

 

The 20 authors featured in this collection, in alphabetical order, are:

 

Aingeala Flannery

Aingeala Flannery is a writer and broadcaster. Her critically acclaimed debut novel The Amusements was published by Penguin Sandycove in 2022. She is also the current writer-in-residence at Dublin City University.

 

Alan Murrin

Alan Murrin is an Irish fiction writer based in Berlin. In 2021 he was the winner of the Bournemouth Writing Prize for his short story The Wake, which was later shortlisted for Short Story of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. He is a graduate of the prose fiction masters at the University of East Anglia and also writes for the Irish Times, Times Literary Supplement and Spectator.

 

Cathy Sweeney

Cathy Sweeney is a writer living in Ireland. Her short fiction has been published in the Stinging Fly, the Dublin Review, Egress, Winter Papers, Banshee and the Tangerine, and has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Her debut short story collection, Modern Times, was published in 2020.

 

Catríona Lally

Caitríona Lally is the recipient of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature (2018) and a Lannan Fellowship for Fiction (2019). In October 2021, she was announced as the inaugural Rooney Writer Fellow at Trinity Long Room Hub. Her first novel, Eggshells, was shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year at the Irish Book Awards in 2015. Wunderland, her second novel, was published by New Island Books in 2021.

 

Claire Coughlan

Claire Coughlan worked as a journalist in Ireland for many years. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UCD and lives in Co Kildare with her husband and daughter. Where They Lie is her debut novel.

 

Colin Walsh

Colin Walsh’s short stories have won several awards including the RTE Francis MacManus Short Story Prize and the Hennessy Literary Award. In 2019 he was named Hennessy New Irish Writer of the Year. Kala is his first novel and was a number one bestseller. He is from Galway and lives in Belgium.

 

Disha Bose

Disha Bose was born and raised in India, and has lived in Calcutta, London, and Dublin. She worked in the tech industry before joining the Masters in creative writing programme at University College Dublin. She now lives in Cork, Ireland. Dirty Laundry is her debut novel.

 

Ferdia Lennon

Ferdia Lennon was born in Dublin to an Irish mother and Libyan father. He holds a BA in History and Classics from University College Dublin and an MA in Prose Fiction from the University of East Anglia. In 2019 and 2021, he received a Literature Bursary Award from the Arts Council of Ireland. After spending many years in Paris, he now lives in Norwich with his wife and son.

 

Fíona Scarlett

Fíona Scarlett is from Dublin but now lives in Co. Kildare with her husband and two children. She holds an MLitt in creative writing from the University of Glasgow as well as a masters in early childhood education. She works full time as a primary school teacher and Boys Don’t Cry is her debut novel.

 

Louise Kennedy

Louise Kennedy grew up a few miles from Belfast. She is the author of the Women’s Prize Longlisted novel, Trespasses, and the acclaimed short story collection, The End of the World is a Cul de Sac, and is the only woman to have been shortlisted twice for the Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award (2019 and 2020). Before starting her writing career, she spent nearly thirty years working as a chef. She now lives in Sligo.

 

Louise Nealon

Louise Nealon studied English literature at Trinity College Dublin, and then completed a masters in creative writing at Queen’s University Belfast in 2016. She lives on her family farm in County Kildare. Snowflake is her first novel and was the biggest-selling debut in Ireland, winning Newcomer of the Year at the 2021 An Post Irish Book Awards.

 

Megan Nolan

Megan Nolan was born in Waterford, Ireland and is currently based in New York. For her debut novel, Acts of Desperation, Nolan was the recipient of a Betty Trask Award, shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Ordinary Human Failings was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.

 

Michael Magee

Michael Magee is the fiction editor of the Tangerine and a graduate of the creative writing PhD programme at Queen’s University, Belfast. Close to Home is his first novel and won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature 2023.

 

Michelle Gallen

Michelle Gallen grew up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a few miles from the border. She studied English Literature at Trinity College Dublin and Publishing at Stirling University. Her debut novel, Big Girl, Small Town was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award. Her critically acclaimed second novel, Factory Girls, won the Comedy Women in Print award and was shortlisted for the RSL Encore Award. Both books are being adapted for TV.

 

Naoise Dolan

Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer born in Dublin. Her debut novel Exciting Times was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for TV. She won the 2021 Hawthornden Prize and has been shortlisted and longlisted for several other prizes. She now lives in Berlin.

 

Niamh Campbell

Niamh Campbell’s debut novel This Happy was nominated for the An Post Irish Book Awards, the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award, the John McGahern Book Prize and the Kate O’Brien Award. In 2020 she also won the Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award for Love Many. In 2021, Campbell won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. She lives and works in Dublin.

 

Nicole Flattery

Nicole Flattery is the author of the story collection Show Them a Good Time. She is the winner of the An Post Irish Book Award, the Kate O’Brien Prize, the London Magazine Prize for Debut Fiction, and the White Review Short Story Prize. A graduate of the master’s program in creative writing at Trinity College, she lives in Dublin, Ireland.

 

Noel O’Regan

Noel O’Regan is from Tralee, Co. Kerry. A recipient of an Arts Council Next Generation Artist Award, his debut novel, Though the Bodies Fall (Granta Books, 2023), was shortlisted for the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction, the John McGahern Book Prize and Newcomer of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards.

 

Sheila Armstrong

Sheila Armstrong is a writer and editor from the north-west of Ireland. How to Gut a Fish, her first collection of short stories, was shortlisted for the Kate O’Brien Award and longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize. Falling Animals, her debut novel, was chosen for BBC2’s Between The Covers Book Club and shortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize.

 

Una Mannion

Una Mannion is based in County Sligo Ireland. Her debut novel A Crooked Tree made the Irish bestsellers list, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards and the Dalkey Emerging Writer Award and won the Kate O’Brien Prize. Her second novel Tell Me What I Am was shortlisted for the Encore Awards and was the winner of the prestigious Gold Dagger at the CWA Dagger Awards. In September 2024, Una joins the Oscar Wilde Centre and English Department at Trinity College Dublin teaching creative writing.

 

The judging panel consisted of:

 

• Maria Dickenson, Chairperson of the judging panel and Irish Book Awards board member
• Angus Laverty, Public Affairs Manager at An Post
• Breda Brown, Chair of the Irish Writers Centre
• Dawn Behan, President of the Irish Booksellers Association
• Eileen Morrissey, President of the Library Association of Ireland
• Madeleine Keane, Literary Editor of the Sunday Independent
• Sinéad Mac Aodha, Executive Director at Literature Ireland

 

Maria Dickenson, Chairperson of the judging panel and an Irish Book Awards board member, says: “We are delighted to continue supporting Irish writers, and, this year, to present 20 of the most promising names in Irish literature through the New Voices initiative. As a nation of storytellers, Ireland has an incredible level of writing talent which was showcased through the vast range of amazing authors submitted for this initiative.

 

Irish writing is in great hands with this new generation of authors selected for New Voices. We look forward to celebrating them in the weeks to come, and at our awards ceremony this November.”

 

David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, says “I have always loved the connection between the writers we champion and the community of publishers, booksellers and readers that has grown up around the An Post Irish Book Awards. Now we are taking it a stage further and saying ‘Just take a look at what’s next’.

 

Here’s to the next wave of writers meeting readers, the magic continues.”

 

Now in its 19^th year, the An Post Irish Book Awards celebrate and promote Irish writing to the widest range of readers possible. The initiative brings together a vast community passionate about books – readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians – to recognise the very best of new and established Irish writing talent and 2024 will be no different.

 

Categories in the An Post Irish Book Awards include Novel of the Year, Children’s (Junior and Senior), Cookery, Crime Fiction, Popular Fiction, Non-fiction, Sports, Short Story, Poetry, Teen and Young Adult and Irish Language.

 

The shortlist for this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards will be announced in late October, with the awards ceremony taking place on November 27^th. A television programme will be broadcast on RTÉ One television in December, culminating in one of the 2024 winning titles being announced as the ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year 2024’.

 

www.irishbookawards.ie

Facebook: @AnPostIBAS

Instagram: @anpost_irishbookawards

Twitter: @AnPostIBAS

 

For a range of reading recommendations, check out www.anpost.com/readerswanted

 

The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) is proud to announce the latest iteration of its “For You. Not Profit” brand platform and campaign, designed to drive awareness and strengthen the affinity towards credit unions across the island of Ireland.

Developed by Core, Ireland’s largest and most effective marketing communications company, this latest campaign is testament to credit unions’ commitment to enhance the connection that people of all ages and backgrounds feel towards the credit union movement, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the brand.

The credit union is a member-focused, community-based organisation, driven by the ethos of “For You. Not Profit.” – a powerful statement that highlights the core values and heritage of the credit union movement, setting it apart from banks and other financial competitors.

This latest campaign builds on the early success of the “For You. Not Profit” platform which was launched in 2023. It will roll out across TV, Radio and Online Video. Focusing on members and community, it demonstrates the credit union’s heritage and purpose, and how it fits into people’s lives in a modern Ireland.

The campaign has been delivered by Core Full Solutions, involving a diverse team from across Core including Creative, Strategy and Media Buying, in collaboration with the Irish League of Credit Unions Brand and Member Experience Team and Rubber Duck Productions.

Robert Potts, Executive Creative Director with Core, said: “The credit union has always put people before profit and this campaign embraces modernity by brilliantly using the latest camera technology to cement the credit union at every milestone moment in family life and, in the process, renews their commitment to the people of Ireland.”

Alice Grant, Head of Brand & Member Experience with the ILCU, said: “This is a very dynamic time for credit unions on the island of Ireland in terms of our growth in the range of products available, and the ways in which members can choose to carry out their business with us – ‘Digital when you want it, but most importantly, human when you need it’. Our brand platform, ‘For You. Not Profit.’ was launched in 2023 and has performed exceptionally well. As consumers, we all choose products and services that we trust; that are delivered with a great customer experience and are aligned with our own values. That’s the credit union.

The challenge is that not all consumers are aware of how their local credit union can enhance and help sustain their life. We want consumers to know that when they need a savings account, a home loan, car loan, daily banking solutions or support for other important life decisions, the credit union is there ’For You’. That’s what our latest TV and Radio Campaign does. It’s a nationwide reminder to everyone of who we are and what we do, encouraging them to go and talk to their local credit union.”

The TVC spot can be watched here: https://we.tl/t-HD6JJcbVgr

CLIENT: IRISH LEAGUE OF CREDIT UNIONS
Alice Grant, Head of Brand & Member Experience
Kieran Mc Donnell, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager (ROI)

Marianne Cushley, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager (NI)

Lakshay Seth, Brand Manager

Ruth Burnside, Strategic Comms Lead

 

AGENCY: CORE
Kate O’Callaghan, Business Director

Jay Reid, Group Strategy Director

Hannah Finnegan, Senior Client Manager

Robert Potts, Executive Creative Director
Rob Murray, Creative Director

Mark Tuthill, Creative Director
Darragh Julian, Senior Art Director

Anita McMenamin, Producer

Emma Everard, Business Director

Ryan Reid, Client Director

Kellie Kearns, Client Manager

PRODUCTION COMPANY: RUBBER DUCK

Ben Colwell & Conor Ryan – Directors

Helen Barry Duke, Producer

 

• 11 advertisements across Online, Social Media, Outdoor and Email were found to be in breach of the Advertising Standards Authority Code on grounds related to a range of issues including Misleading, Principles, Fear and Distress, Promotional Marketing Practices, Substantiation and Health and Beauty
  

• In one case the Complaints Committee issued a Statement
  

 

The Advertising Standards Authority’s independent Complaints Committee has released its latest Complaints Bulletin, which contains 16 case reports on complaints recently investigated by the organisation.

11 of the 16 cases were upheld in full. Advertisements across Online, Social Media, Outdoor and Email were found to be in breach of the Advertising Standards Authority Code on grounds related to Misleading, Principles, Fear and Distress, Promotional Marketing Practices, Substantiation and Health and Beauty. One case resulted in a Statement being issued with advice for future advertising. The Advertising Standards Authority chose not to uphold four complaints. 

The Complaints Committee is a completely independent arm of the Advertising Standards Authority and is responsible for considering and adjudicating on complaints submitted by the public, by an organisation, by a Government Department, or any other person or body. The Committee is made up of a range of experts from the advertising, media, education, consumer, and marketing sectors. See further details here – https://adstandards.ie/about-us/

Commenting on the latest Advertising Standards Authority rulings, Orla Twomey, Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, stated: 

“The role of the Advertising Standards Authority is to protect consumers from advertising that is harmful, offensive, or misleading. The latest complaints bulletin highlights the important role we play in the Irish advertising landscape, ensuring that all marketing communications adhere to the high standards of the Code.  

We will continue to encourage care and compliance in the advertising industry, removing advertising that is in breach of the Code and educating consumers and brands about Irish advertising standards -fostering trust in advertising for all. 

We provide a free and confidential copy advice service to advertisers so they can create responsible ads that adhere to the advertising code. If advertisers or agencies have any concerns about an advertisement or marketing communications’ compliance with the code, they can contact us to avail of that service.” 

Below is a list of 11 advertisements that have been found to be in breach of the Advertising Standards Authority Code:

 

Advertiser	Medium	Complaint Category	Description	Complaint Status	Section Breached	Link
Sevdaserv Limited (Local 24/7 Locksmith)	Online (Advertiser’s Own Website)	Misleading / Price	An advertisement appeared on the homepage of the advertiser’s website listing a range of services and their prices.   The complainant considered the advertisement misleading as when they had their door lock changed by the business, they were charged €860 for a door lock change that was worth €20.	Upheld	3.10, 4.01, 4.04 and 4.22	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/household-34//
NetSmart – Network Security	Online (Advertiser’s Social Media)	Misleading / Substantiation	An advertisement was shared on Facebook as a sponsored post. It featured text referring to competitors increasing their prices whilst the advertiser had lowered theirs. An image alongside the post featured a graph which depicted other service provider prices increasing and Network Security prices decreasing.   The complainant considered the advertisement to be misleading as no evidence was shown to demonstrate that other service providers had increased their prices, or that the advertiser lowered theirs.	Upheld	4.01, 4.04, 4.09, 4.10, 4.31, 4.32 and 4.33	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/household-35/
Motor Distributors Limited (BYD)	Outdoor (Poster) / Online (Advertiser’s Own Website and Advertiser’s Social Media)	Misleading / Promotional Marketing	An advertisement was initially seen in one of the advertiser’s vehicle dealerships and stated ‘cooling the earth by 1°C’. This claim was also seen on the advertiser’s X account as text accompanying a video of one of their electric vehicles and featured on the advertiser’s website.   The complainant objected to the claim and mission statement within the advertisement as the information was not supported by any independent scientific study. The complainant  considered the advertisement to be greenwashing and misleading as it would not be possible to cool the entire planet by 1°C by electrifying urban transport, nor would it be possible if all road transport was electrified	Upheld	4.01, 4.04, 4.09, 4.10, 15.02 and 15.05	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/motoring-55/
Ozone Nightclub Athlone	Online (Advertiser’s Social Media)	Misleading / Promotional Marketing	An advertisement was posted on Instagram promoting a giveaway for two tickets to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, encouraging followers to like, share, follow and tag their friends to enter the competition.   The complainant considered the advertisement to be misleading as no end date was given by which a competitor had to enter, and that no response was received when they asked the advertiser about this.	Upheld	4.01, 4.04, 5.30(a) and 5.32	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/leisure-35/
Sixth Rent a Car Ireland	Online (Advertiser’s Website)	Misleading / Availability	An advertisement was seen on the advertiser’s website listing various vehicles for rent, some of which were marked as being ‘guaranteed’ vehicles whilst others were marked as being that vehicle ‘or similar’.   The vehicle at the centre of this complaint was a BMW X5 SUV which was listed on the website as a ‘guaranteed model’.   The complainant said that having seen the BMW X5 advertised as a ’guaranteed vehicle’, on the advertiser’s website, they made a booking to rent the car for an upcoming trip. However, they noticed on the advertiser’s app that the vehicle was marked as ‘or similar’ after the booking was made.   The complainant contacted the advertiser for clarification and was told the vehicle was not a guaranteed model, and that the renter would receive a similar available vehicle. The complainant therefore considered the advertisement to be misleading.	Upheld	4.01, 4.04, 4.27 and 4.28(a)(b)	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/motoring-56/
Jurassic Newpark	Online (Advertiser’s Social Media)	Misleading / Promotional Marketing	An advertisement was posted on Instagram with the caption ‘give the gift of adventure with an annual pass’, and included a special offer of a ‘complimentary night’s stay in any one of our luxurious Flynn hotels’ for anyone that purchased an Annual Pass.   The complainant believed the advertisement to be misleading as upon enquiring about the complimentary night’s stay, they were informed the offer was only available for stays during January to March 2024, from Sunday to Thursday.   The complainant said this information was not listed in the Instagram post, and, therefore, created the impression that the offer of the complimentary stay could be redeemed at any time throughout the year.	Upheld	4.01, 4.04, 5.15 (a)-(i), 5.16 and 5.17	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/leisure-36/
Munster Joinery	Online (Digital Brochure)	Principles / Misleading	An advertisement was seen in two digital brochures on the advertiser’s own website. The first brochure promoted window and door fittings, including brass, chrome, black and white.   A second brochure featured an image of a door knocker and door handle and listed polished, chrome, or brass finishes in relation to the ironmongery offered for door finishes.   The complainant considered the advertisement to be misleading as although fittings were advertised as brass or polished brass, it was a brass overspray on top of an unknown metal.   When the complainant contacted the advertiser, the advertiser confirmed that the fittings were not brass but featured brass overspray.	Upheld	4.01, 4.04, 4.09 and 4.10	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/household-33/
ANuMe Medical	Online (Influencer’s Social Media)	Health and Beauty	An influencer posted to Instagram with a competition offering a  ‘free consultation and Botox treatment’ with the advertiser.   The complainant said that Botox is a prescription only medication that shouldn’t be advertised as part of a competition.	Upheld	11.16	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/ health-beauty-69/
Amber Surgery	Online (Influencer’s Social Media)	Principles / Health and Beauty	An influencer answered a question from a follower on their Instagram stories about oxygen treatment.   The influencer responded saying they believed oxygen treatment is beneficial for any type of surgery recovery, to start it a few weeks in advance (of surgery), and to contact the advertiser and tell them ‘[the influencer] sent you’.   The complainant, a doctor, said oxygen is a drug that needs to be prescribed, and that they considered advising a person to use oxygen without knowing their medical history was ill advised. They also noted that the influencer is a brand ambassador for the advertiser.	Upheld	3.03	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/39163/
Carraig Donn	Email	Misleading	An email advertisement featured a flash sale offering ‘20% off everything*’, with the asterisk linking to text stating ‘T&C’s apply, full price stock only, exclusions apply, Valid until Monday 30th’.   The complainant said that ’everything’ should mean a discount off ‘everything’ without exception, and that they had spent a considerable amount of time adding items to their cart only to be informed at checkout that the discount / sale did not apply to many of the items.	Upheld	4.01, 4.04 and 4.06	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/clothing-footwear-11/

 

The Advertising Standards Authority received one complaint from an Intra-industry or Interested Party:

 

Advertiser	Medium	Complaint Category	Description	Complaint Status	Section Breached	Link
PhoneWatch	Outdoor Poster	Fear and Distress / Misleading	An advertisement on an outdoor billboard on Kennedy Street in Carlow said ‘211 burglaries in Carlow over the last year’ with further text below promoting the advertiser and a special promotion free pack installation.   A complaint was received from an interested party who    stated that the advertisement was false, misleading, and deceptive as the figure was based on Central Statistics Office figures for Carlow and Kilkenny combined. The complainant also believed the advertisement had a negative impact on public perception and feelings of safety in Carlow as a result.	Upheld	3.23, 4.01, 4.04, 4.09 and 4.10	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/household-36/

 

The Advertising Standards Authority chose to issue a statement in the following case:

 

Advertiser	Medium	Complaint Category	Description	Complaint Status	Section Breached	Link
Nomadic Foods Ltd	Online (Advertiser’s Own Website)	Misleading	An advertisement on the homepage of the advertiser’s website promoted various yoghurt oat products with text referring to these products including ‘real ingredients.’   The complainant objected to the use of ‘real ingredients’ on the website as they noted one of the products included ingredients such as glucose-fructose syrup, sweetened condensed milk, glycerol monostearate and potassium sorbate.	Statement Issued	N/A	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/food-and-beverages-5/

 

The Advertising Standards Authority did not uphold four complaints

Advertiser	Medium	Complaint Category	Description	Complaint Status	Section Breached	Link
St Patrick’s Mental Health Services	Radio	Principles / Misleading	An advertisement on radio featured a variety of statements including: “Mental health difficulties can affect anyone, but with the right supports, you can recover” and “At St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services, we provide specialised care online and in person”.   The complainant considered the advertisement to be misleading as they said it claimed the advertiser helped all sufferers recover, however, the complainant believed the advertiser chose their patients and rejected those they cannot treat.	Not Upheld	N/A	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/health-beauty-70/
Homecare Foods Ltd. t/a Wiltshire Farm Foods	Radio	Misleading	A radio advertisement featured a distinctive Irish voice describing the brand, mentioning they are “based in Dublin”.   Two complaints were received regarding the advertisement.   One complainant believed that the statement ‘based in Dublin’ was incorrect and misleading as the company being promoted was based in the UK.   The second complainant said the use of a well-known Irish voice created the impression the products were Irish, particularly in combination with the line ‘based in Dublin’. The complainant felt the advertisement could mislead listeners into thinking they were supporting an Irish business selling Irish made products.	Not Upheld	N/A	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/39164/
Domino’s Pizza UK and Ireland Limited	Television	Misleading	An advertisement campaign featured a series of vignettes depicting people  fighting over pizza. One advertisement featured young men pushing each other as they ran to the front door to the delivery man, another advertisement featured an older woman putting a young man in a headlock as they fought to reach the pizza on the floor.   Three complaints were received about the advertisements.   Issue 1: The complainants all believed that the ads promoted and condoned violence. One complainant said the woman placing a young man in a headlock trivialised the issue of domestic violence against men.   Issue 2: One complaint believed that the advertisements endorsed the idea that violence was acceptable and that young people and children may have seen the advertisements.	Issue 1: Not Upheld Issue 2: Not Upheld	N/A	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/food-beverages-21/
Vodafone Ireland Limited	Television	Principles / Safety	An advertisement featured a man video calling his niece on a journey home from his sea swim. In the advertisement, he is sitting in the passenger seat of a car and extends his arm toward the centre console, pointing the phone toward the driver to show his niece on video call.   The complainant objected to the advertisement on the basis they felt it did not take into consideration the possible consequences of distracting a driver with a mobile phone.	Not Upheld	N/A	https://adstandards.ie/complaint/telecommunications-95/

 

The Advertising Standards Authority conducts ongoing monitoring of advertising across all media and since 2007, has examined over 27,000 advertisements, with an overall compliance rate of 98 percent. The Advertising Standards Authority Monitoring Service monitors compliance with the Complaints Committee’s adjudications.

Media are reminded that advertisements found to be in breach of the Code cannot be accepted for publication.

 

Visit adstandards.ie to learn more

 

To keep up to date on Advertising Standards Authority activity, follow the organisation on:

 

X                      @AdStandardsIRE

Instagram        @adstandardsireland

LinkedIn          @Ad-Standards-Ireland

 

This week saw the release of the first of two videos produced by Core on behalf of the Office of Public Works. It is part of their Protect Our Park campaign which was launched this summer, asking people to keep a 50 metre distance from the deer and to never feed them.

 

The videos feature actor Ardal O’Hanlon taking on a twist to the famous Father Ted sketch “Small and far away” in a bid to educate visitors to the Phoenix Park on safety around the wild fallow deer. The campaign is also backed up with new signage around the park, social messaging throughout the summer in English and Irish, and some OOH.

 

The campaign is not the first of its kind as the OPW have to continually tell visitors not to feed the deer. However, UCD have produced research showing the problem has escalated so a fresh campaign was needed.

 

Speaking on the campaign approach, Stacey Wright, Social Strategy Director in Core said:

“The park has always had signage telling people not to feed the deer, but visitors are ignoring it. The media budget was modest, so we knew we had to be creative in how we got the word out that people are having a detrimental affect on the deer. Leaning on the famous sketch that was first shot 30 years ago, meant we could entertain and educate people all at once”.

 

The first video can be seen here, with the second following next week:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9wmD5dsf-7/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1582767592283534

 

Credits

Advertiser: Office of Public Works

Agency: Core

Campaign title: Protect Our Park

Social Strategy Directors: Stacey Wright & Hannah-Louise Dunne

Creative Director: Helena Jones

Art Director: Ciaran Moran

Business Director: Jo Mullins

Paid Social: Ciara McGarry

Senior Visual Effects Artist: Eoghan Reidy

Managing Director: Dave Griffin

Videographer and Editor: Dan Dalton

 

 

 

• Advertising Standards Authority partnered with key organisations in 2023 on strategic initiatives including Coimisiún na Meán, The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI)

 

• The Advertising Standards Authority received 1,402 complaints concerning 1,134 advertisements in 2023

 

• 20% of all complaints in 2023 related to social media influencer advertisements

 

Advertising Standards Authority, the independent self-regulatory body committed in the public interest to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications, has today unveiled their Annual Report for 2023 which highlights ongoing engagement between the organisation and a range of key players in the self-regulatory and co-regulatory sphere to help create a robust framework that can respond to challenges in the marketing communications industry.

 

In 2023,  Advertising Standards Authority worked closely with Coimisiún na Meán to explore areas of common interest and agreed to progress the development of a Memorandum of Understanding which will set out how both organisations will cooperate in this regulatory space, seeking to ensure best outcomes for consumers, industry and society. Advertising Standards Authority also further engaged with the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) to continue progressing discussions with Coimisiún na Meán about potential solutions to the challenges posed by the regulatory landscape.

 

The Advertising Standards Authority also engaged with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to discuss the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022, the role of the GRAI when established, and the existing remit of the Advertising Standards Authority. Both organisations will continue discussions to develop an engagement framework on how a relationship between the two organisations would develop.

 

The Advertising Standards Authority was also invited to participate and contribute outputs for the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce as part of its programme of work. The Advertising Standards Authority carried out a data analysis of complaints received about telecommunication advertising over a two-year period – 2021-2022 – to examine the main areas of telecommunications advertising that generate consumer complaints, and provide guidance and / or directions to the sector to address any failings.

 

The overall analysis showed that concerns continued to be expressed about the use of the description ‘unlimited’ in circumstances where a Fair Use Policy imposed a threshold above which consumers would be charged for use. Draft guidance on the use of ‘unlimited’ and similar was prepared and a targeted consultation was commenced in Quarter 4 2023.

The 2023 Annual Report from the Advertising Standards Authority also states that the organisation received 1,402 complaints concerning 1,134 advertisements in 2023, an increase of 18% when compared to the number of complaints received in 2022 (1,189).

 

The organisation found that 59 advertisements were in breach of the Advertising Standards Authority Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing Communications during 2023.

 

The annual report also outlines that 68% of complaints made in 2023 were on the basis that an advertisement was misleading, while 8% were made on the basis that an advertisement was offensive.

 

20% (279) of all complaints received by the Advertising Standards Authority in 2023 were concerning advertisements from social media influencers, with 34% (95) of these received after the launch of Joint Guidance on Influencer Marketing with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in October 2023. The overall number of complaints received regarding influencer marketing in 2023 represents an increase from 7% in 2022 (88) and 5% in 2021 (77).

 

To enhance the initial awareness campaigns for the Guidance, the Advertising Standards Authority introduced an anonymous Social Media Influencer Content Complaints Reporting Form along with a reach out programme to engage with influencers where multiple ad content notifications were received by the organisation. From the introduction of the report Form on 17^th November 2023, 903 notifications were received about content by some 300 social media influencers to year end.

 

Of the 903 notifications received through the anonymous Reporting Form, 590 notifications referenced ‘Missing label / Hashtag’ (590) followed by ‘Label / Hashtag not visible or not at the start of content’ (171) and ‘Incorrect label / Hashtag’ (142).

 

The sector that attracted the second greatest number of complaints was ‘Health and Beauty’ (221), followed by ‘Leisure’ (153) and ‘Household’ (111). When it comes to ‘complaints by media’, ‘Digital Media’ gave rise to the highest number of complaints, representing over half (60%) of all complaints, while broadcasting media (TV and radio combined) totalled 26%, and outdoor media amounted to 4%.

 

Established in 1981, the Advertising Standards Authority has continued to remain the most authoritative voice of influence in relation to advertising standards. The organisation also offers advertisers, agencies, media and promoters a copy advice service on whether a proposed marketing communication or sales promotion conforms to the Code. This service is available free of charge to everyone involved in advertising.

 

During 2023, 94 copy advice requests were submitted, a 7% increase compared to 2022 (88). The Advertising Standards Authority [email protected] service serves as an authoritative opinion given by the Executive, but does not bind the Advertising Standards Authority Complaints Committee.

 

Commenting on the key highlights from 2023, Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, Orla Twomey, said:

“This year has seen the emergence of new statutory entities and important partners to Advertising Standards Authority in the co-regulatory landscape together with the development of new key guidance.

 

During 2023, we partnered with key organisations, including Coimisiún na Meán, to seamlessly progress our partnership agenda with the new broadcast and online media regulator, focusing on plans for a Memorandum of Understanding and joint projects next year. Additionally, we contributed to the State-led Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce regarding the use of the phrase ‘unlimited’ in advertising.

 

Comprehensive Influencer Marketing guidelines were also launched in 2023 with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. Ongoing promotion of the guidelines will continue into 2024 to educate influencers and brands on the correct disclosure of commercial content on social media, fostering trust in advertising for all and safeguarding consumers from advertising that is harmful, misleading or offensive.

 

Going forward, we will also be streamlining our complaints management operations to enable us distribute our resources across all areas of our service proposition so that our contribution to maintain high advertising standards can be maintained.”

 

Miriam Hughes, Chair of the Advertising Standards Authority, added:

 

“The shift from traditional to online advertising has heightened the responsibility of brands and platforms to ensure that commercial content adheres to the high standards of the Code.  The challenges currently being faced in the advertising industry highlight the importance of robust guidance and advertising co-regulation for widespread benefit. The establishment of Coimisiún na Meán and the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland during 2023 were welcome additions to an already complex advertising landscape, and has further strengthened regulatory infrastructure across the wider industry.

 

The Advertising Standards Authority Annual Report emphasises the importance of engagement and collaboration with these bodies, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and the necessity of industry and digital platform support for sustained regulatory success. The ASA Board continues to uphold best practices and appreciates the contributions of its members, Complaints Committee, and Review Panel.”

 

 

Visit adstandards.ie to learn more about the Advertising Standards Authority

 

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