Ireland - Trade Promotion and AdvertisingIreland - Trade Promotion

Ireland does not host any major international trade fairs.  In international terms, Irish trade fairs are small-scale events that attract local trade and consumer audiences.  Thus, they principally offer sales and promotional opportunities for Irish manufacturers, agents, and distributors. In general, the international element of these events is limited to local representatives promoting international brands.

Due to the proximity of Ireland to major trade fairs in European cities, most Irish manufacturers, agents, distributors, and end users attend the major European exhibitions in their industry sectors.  The U.S. Commercial Service in Dublin promotes U.S. pavilions at European tradeshows to the Irish business community to ensure that U.S. exhibitors can take advantage of business opportunities in the Irish market.

• Ireland has approximately 60 newspapers and 150 periodicals or trade magazines.  The Dublin dailies Irish Times and Irish Independent and the Cork-based Irish Examiner enjoy national distribution.  The Irish Independent has the largest circulation, followed by The Herald.  The Irish Times has the smallest circulation in Dublin, but reaches the business and financial markets.

• There are eight national Sunday newspapers, of which The Sunday Business Post is directed at corporate executives. British newspapers and tabloids are widely available in Ireland.

• There is increased competition in the broadcasting sector with independent national broadcasting organizations, Newstalk and Today FM (radio),  Virgin Media  and UTV Ireland (television) now challenging the state-controlled Radio-Telefis Eireann (RTE) organization. There are also a large number of independent radio stations operating in local areas.

• Pay-TV households account for over 71% of the 1.59 million TV households in Ireland.  Digital TV services dominate across 98% of households.

• The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland operates a code of standards.  Advertising films must be approved before showing.  Detailed advertising rates can be obtained from most local advertising agencies.

• There are numerous advertising agencies with a wide range of services in Ireland.  Advertising agencies utilize every medium available to advertisers including direct mailings, press, radio, television, point-of-sale advertising, posters, public transportation vehicles and all social media channels.

• Other promotional techniques such as loyalty schemes, coupons, samples, premiums, and prizes are also used.

• The Irish Government strictly enforces laws covering gaming and lotteries, as well as restrictive trade practices.  In 2010, the Department of Justice & Equality published a major review of Irish gambling legislation ‘Options for Regulating Gambling’ that outlined a range of choices for developing a revised regulatory architecture for gambling into the future. The Department subsequently published legislative proposals for a new and comprehensive framework for the regulation (including licensing) of gambling in Ireland in the Gambling Control Bill 2013.  This bill is slowly working its way through the drafting process at the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government.   In March 2019, the Irish Department of Justice  & Equality announced plans to establish a Gambling Regulatory Authorioty for Ireland.

• Companies that advertise and sell goods and services should obtain local professional advice regarding provisions of the law and consumer acceptance of promotional or marketing techniques.

Major organizations engaged in market research provide the usual range of services, including store audits, consumer surveys, product field-testing, and attitude and motivation research.  There are differences, however, in spending habits and preferences for goods and services, and local opinion should be obtained in advance of creating specific strategies that call for a major commitment of resources.