Renowned author Salman Rushdie will be the guest speaker at a major advertising awards event in Dublin later this year, it has been announced.
Rushdie, who was last month awarded the Best of the Booker prize for his 1981 novel Midnight's Children, will speak at the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland Advertising Effectiveness Awards at the RDS in Dublin on October 9th. The Irish Timeswill sponsor the event.
The author, a former copywriter, will outline his thoughts on how the industry influences daily consumption patterns, the organisers said.
Rushdie is famously associated with an advertising phrase “naughty but nice”, used in the 1970s to sell cakes.
IAPI vice president Tom Doherty said business margins are tighter than they have been for many years and that many companies are “feeling the pinch”.
“In the current climate, revenues directed into advertising must deliver to the bottom line. It is the advertising agencies that deliver innovative, creative and cost-effective campaigns who will weather the storm.”
Managing director of The Irish TimesMaeve Donovan said: "At a time when all customers are thinking more carefully about the purchases they make, advertisers need to ensure that they continue to invest sufficient resources to maintain their share of voice.
“Agencies and advertisers will be looking to manage costs while delivering meaningful campaigns – in this scenario choosing the best medium to get to your target market is the key decision.”
The advertising industry is worth in excess of €2 billion a year to the Irish economy and directly employs over 1,300 professionals, according to the IAPI.
The advertising effectiveness awards are bestowed on campaigns that returned investment and proved the role of advertising. Campaigns run in Irish or international markets between June 30th 2006 and July 31st 2008 are eligible for this year’s awards.
Entries and bookings for the event on October 9th may be made online at www.iapiadvertisingeffectiveness.ie. The closing date is August 28th 2008.