That's What I Call Marketing

• S4 Ep29: A Red Star Christmas 2025 - The Best Christmas Ads of 2025

  Which Christmas ads did Irish viewers love in 2025? In this special Christmas edition of That’s What I Call Marketing, Conor Byrne is joined by Ciara Reilly from Red C Research, Linda Bradley (Head of Planning, Diageo Ireland), and Marc Smith (Global Director of Insights & Analytics, Mark Anthony Brands) to reveal the Top 20 Christmas Ads in Ireland, as ranked by real consumers on the Red Star testing platform.We analyse the biggest festive campaigns of the season, including:Tesco, SuperValu, Lidl, Spar, Sky Mobile, An Post, Vodafone, Boots, Dunnes Stores, Home Store + More, M&S, Woodie’s, Eason, Aldi, Amazon, and Coca-Cola.Across the episode we explore:• Why some Irish Christmas ads performed far better than expected• The surprising gap between marketer opinion vs consumer reaction• What emotional storytelling gets right and wrong at Christmas• How branding, memory structures and fluent devices shaped the rankings• Why consistency helped brands stand out• The role of humour, reality, nostalgia and AI in this year’s festive campaignsWhether you work in marketing, advertising, strategy, media, or creative, this deep dive into the best Christmas ads of the year reveals what truly resonates with audiences and what doesn’t.🎄 Brands discussed: Tesco, SuperValu, Lidl, Spar, Sky Mobile, An Post, Vodafone, Boots, Dunnes Stores, Woodie’s, Home Store + More, M&S, Eason, Aldi, Amazon, Coca-Cola.📍 CHAPTERS03:03 The lowest ranked ads05:18 John Lewis debate emotional truth vs emotional fit07:41 Functional ads & the problem of “sameness”13:28 Sea Swim: why it keeps winning hearts15:27 Sky Mobile & the Roy Keane effect17:23 National Lottery: a new less fun direction21:25 An Post Tin: Man does the story need a new chapter?23:33 M&S Food: when style overtakes substance26:20 Home Store + More the surprise hit27:56 Coca-Cola Holidays Are Coming (AI version)30:56 Dunnes Stores Shine Bright: the craft that endures32:50 Aldi & Kevin the Carrot: did they need a 3 parter?36:00 Eason: an emotional standout38:56 Amazon: a global festive story returns41:54 Woodie’s crowned #1 in Ireland https://www.youtube.com/shorts/22prv5XcpSM44:50 The panel’s all-time favourite Christmas adsCheck out the Red Star Testing Platform https://redcresearch.com/product/red-star/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  --------  

  50:54

  --------

  50:54
• The Singles Ep12: Netflix X Spotify, Monzo taking on Barclays, Rebel X Movember

  The episode begins with the new Netflix × Spotify partnership, where Spotify's video podcasts will sit on Netflix from 2026. Conor, Dan and Jasper discuss what this means for streaming, how it challenges YouTube’s dominance in video podcasts, and why Netflix’s broad familiarity.Next, the conversation moves to banking in the UK, where legacy brands like Barclays face pressure from digital challengers including Monzo, Revolut and Wise. Tracksuit data shows Barclays’ awareness remains high at 89%, but consideration and investigation are slipping — especially among 18–34s — as Monzo builds strength through simplicity, transparency and real-time product features. The team unpack why refer-a-friend programmes, user experience, and “is for people like me” perceptions are shifting the category.The third story looks at Movember and Rebel Sport in Australia, exploring how both brands use emotional connection, identity and community to drive engagement. With Rebel’s awareness falling from 79% to 75% and usage also declining, the team discusses why emotional relevance matters, how Rebel’s “Town Without Sport” campaign reframes sport as cultural belonging, and how Movember has evolved into a global identity brand around men’s wellbeing and shared participation through the iconic moustache.The episode closes with a debate about Coca-Cola’s AI-generated Christmas ad, the role of distinctive brand assets, and whether AI is truly “pushing the boundaries of creativity” or simply versioning existing ideas. Conor challenges Coke’s framing, while Dan and Jasper discuss industry reactions, production choices and early System1 results from this year’s work.Whether you're a brand leader, strategist, or marketer working across multiple markets, this month’s Singles offers grounded data, clear examples, and practical discussions shaped by Tracksuit’s real-time brand metrics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  --------  

  33:23

  --------

  33:23
• Re-Release - Making the Guinness Christmas Ad

  First Aired 23rd Dec 2023, this is the never before told story behind the making of the iconic Guinness Christmas Ad. Tom Kinsella, Damian Devaney, Mark Nutley and Pat Hamill who were part of the team client and agency side that made this ad join That's What I Call Marketing to talk about creating what has become one of the greatest Christmas Ads of all time. We discuss the development process, challenges encountered, and the enduring success of the ad after its release. The conversation highlights the power of creativity, the critical role of collaboration between agencies and clients, and the essential element of investing time and effort into crafting an impactful advertisement. Some key moments include04:21 The Creative Process and Challenges25:57 The Role of Music in the Ad32:22 The Risk of Leaving Out the Pint39:26 The Importance of Distinctive Assets48:01 The Impact of the Ad Over Time56:22 The Power of Creativity and InvestmentBut there is a tonne more, the power of music, the emergence of the line at the home of the black stuff, sweating the small stuff, investing in brilliance. So enjoy this episode about a story that has never been told. Special mention to the many others involved in the project:Mal Stevenson-Creative DirectorJohn Kelly-VoiceoverNoel Byrne - Head of productionMargo Tracey- ProducerMark Grehan/ Brendan Coyle – Account DirectorGrainne O’Driscoll-Account ManagerPaddy Gibbons-Sound MixApril Redmond - DiageoRonan Byrne - DiageoNiamh Cribbin - DiageoPaul Kelly - DiageoMark Ody - DiageoMichael Ioakimides - DiageoCharles Coase - Diageo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  --------  

  59:47

  --------

  59:47
• S4 Ep28: Brand Global, Adapt Local with Katherine Melchior Ray & Nataly Kelly

  CMO's Katherine Melchior Ray & Nataly Kelly dive deep into the nuances of global marketing . Both are experienced global CMOs and authors of the book 'Brand Global, Adapt Local.' They share their insights on the complexities and rewards of building a brand that balances global consistency with local relevance. From discussing their extensive backgrounds in various industries to examining successful case studies like Kit Kat and Kerry Gold, Katherine and Natalie offer valuable frameworks and strategies for marketers aiming to expand globally. This episode is brought to you by Tracksuit, the affordable brand tracking dashboard covering over 25 countries. Tune in to learn about the challenges and rewards of global marketing, the importance of cultural intelligence, and the role AI might play in the future of marketing. Don't forget to leave a review and share this episode with your marketing community!02:35 Katherine's Global Marketing Experience04:32 Natalys Background and Contribution05:18 The Power of Global Connections08:31 Foundations of Marketing and Branding09:40 Cultural Intelligence and AI Limitations10:31 Localisation and Cultural Nuances15:14 Organisational Attitude and Flexibility16:35 Proximity Bias in Large Economies17:49 Freedom Within a Frame Framework19:04 Kit Kat's Global Strategy20:46 Kerry Gold's Adaptation to US Market22:05 Global Brand Consistency26:33 The Impact of AI on Global Branding28:23 Cultural Nuances in Marketing29:36 Anecdotes and Lessons LearnedBuy the book https://www.amazon.ie/Brand-Global-Adapt-Local-Cultures/dp/1398619825 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  --------  

  35:17

  --------

  35:17
• S4 Ep27: Imen Zitouni, Intact's CMO on on Building a Brand That Travels

  When Imen Zitouni started out, there was no Google. She literally taught Canadian businesses how to use a mouse. Fast forward twenty-five years, and she’s the Chief Marketing Officer at Intact Insurance, leading one of the most ambitious rebrands in the industry from RSA Insurance to Intact and shaping how marketing, data and innovation work together in a company of 30,000 people.In this conversation, Imen joins Conor at Intact House in Dublin to talk about the twists and leaps that built her career. She tells the story of the seven PowerPoint slides that convinced CEO Charles Brindamour to start The Intact Lab, an experiment that began with seven people and now employs over a thousand specialists in data, AI and customer experience.She explains what innovation really looks like inside a business built on managing risk. how you protect teams so they can experiment, why “failing fast” only works if you decide fast, and what it takes to turn ideas into impact.You’ll also hear how she applies the same mindset to marketing and why “Technology gives you speed. Storytelling gives you meaning.” As well as how the global Intact rebrand was “not a marketing project, but a company-wide one.” and why she believes creativity in insurance starts with culture, not slogans.It’s an honest, practical conversation about leadership, experimentation, and brand building from one of Canada’s most respected marketing executives recorded on the day the Intact name officially launched in Ireland, the UK and Europe02:30 – Teaching people how to use a mouse (and falling in love with the internet)04:50 – Lessons from agency life at Cassette06:20 – The late-night call that brought her into insurance08:00 – Finding purpose in a data-driven industry09:45 – “I have an idea”: how The Intact Lab began10:50 – Protecting teams to innovate13:40 – The 30-day rule and rapid prototyping15:10 – “Fail fast” only works with fast decisions17:30 – Moving from Chief Digital Officer to CMO20:10 – Mentorship and learning from Anne Fortin23:00 – “Technology gives you speed. Storytelling gives you meaning.”24:40 – The founders’ story: building values before brand26:40 – Naming Intact and the red brackets27:30 – Rebranding RSA: “not a marketing project — a company-wide one”30:20 – Global consistency vs local freedom33:10 – When “witty” means different things in different markets37:00 – Building a household brand and resilient communities Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  --------  

  40:53

  --------

  40:53

More Business podcasts

Trending Business podcasts

About That's What I Call Marketing

That's What I Call Marketing: Podcasts in Family