Competition in the agency world is fierce, but standout strategic thinking still finds a way to rise to the top. That was clear at this year’s NewsBrands Ireland Power of Planning competition, where Starcom claimed first place with a sharp, insight-led media campaign Ireland professionals will be talking about.
Held at Medley in Dublin, the annual competition brought together 12 agency teams and challenged them to create a three-month plan for a new convenience food brand using news brands across multiple platforms. With a budget of €500,000, the brief called for a practical, persuasive and creative media campaign Ireland agencies could build around real audience behaviour and measurable reach.
Starcom Wins With a Smart Media Campaign Ireland Approach
Starcom, part of Core, took the top prize with its campaign concept, XHale. According to the judges, the winning submission stood out because it linked consumer insight, creative execution and channel strategy in a clear and coherent way. In a crowded field, that ability to connect the dots proved decisive.
The winning team included Anna McGin, Thea Silao, Callum Monaghan, Nicole Byrne and Caitlin O’Sullivan. Their work demonstrated how a well-planned media campaign Ireland marketers admire is not just about placing ads, but about understanding why specific platforms matter to particular audiences at particular moments.
NewsBrands Ireland’s Power of Planning competition is designed to test exactly that skill. Teams must show they can think beyond broad media selection and instead build a joined-up strategy rooted in insight, timing and storytelling.
Why the Winning Entry Stood Out
The judges praised Starcom’s submission for being purposeful from start to finish. Rather than relying on disconnected tactics, the team appears to have built a structured narrative around the brand and its audience. That matters because a successful media campaign Ireland brands invest in increasingly depends on strategic consistency across print, digital and other news media touchpoints.
Key qualities highlighted by the judging panel included:
- Strong consumer insight that informed the campaign direction
- Clear creative thinking aligned to the brief
- Logical media choices across news brand platforms
- Effective use of timing within the three-month plan
- A balance between strategic rigor and engaging storytelling
Christine Matthews, head of TGI Customer Success at Fifty5Blue and one of the judges, noted the clarity and coherence of the work. Helen Beecher, head of performance and measurement at dunnhumby, also pointed to the team’s ability to turn audience insight into a practical media strategy.
That combination is often the difference between a decent idea and a winning one. A compelling media campaign Ireland agencies want to emulate has to be both creatively interesting and commercially sound.
Havas Media Ireland Named Runner-Up
Havas Media Ireland secured second place with its campaign, Soup Sorted. Judges commended the runner-up entry for its strategic approach, creativity and effective use of news brands. The Havas team featured Hardik Papnai, Jack O’Donovan, Aisling Part, Jessie Leonard and Emily Dooley.
Finishing runner-up in such a competitive field is no small achievement. The standard was described as extremely high, reinforcing the value of the competition as a benchmark for emerging talent in media planning and advertising strategy.
For agencies, events like this are more than just awards exercises. They provide a live environment to test how teams respond to pressure, interpret briefs and craft a media campaign Ireland clients could realistically bring to market.
The Role of News Brands in Modern Media Planning
One of the strongest takeaways from this year’s contest is the continuing relevance of news media in campaign planning. The brief specifically required teams to use news brands across multiple platforms, underlining the role publishers still play in building reach, attention and trust.
For advertisers, news environments can offer several advantages:
- Credibility: Trusted editorial settings can enhance brand perception.
- Cross-platform scale: News brands often combine print, desktop, mobile and social distribution.
- Audience targeting: Research tools and readership data support smarter planning.
- Contextual relevance: Campaigns can appear alongside content categories that suit brand messages.
A modern media campaign Ireland planners develop must reflect how audiences move between channels. News brands are no longer limited to traditional print placements; they are part of an integrated ecosystem that can support awareness, consideration and action.
How the Competition Helps Shape Future Talent
Now in its 11th year, the Power of Planning initiative is also an educational programme. Before developing their entries, participants took part in sessions designed to deepen their understanding of news media advertising. This year’s programme included input from Heather Dansie, insight director at Newsworks, along with audience data and research supplied by TGI.
Participants also had direct opportunities to engage with publishers’ media sales teams, giving junior planners a more practical understanding of how campaign ideas translate into media opportunities.
That learning element is critical. Building a strong media campaign Ireland professionals can defend to clients requires more than creativity. It calls for:
- Audience analysis
- Channel planning
- Budget allocation discipline
- Measurement thinking
- Publisher collaboration
By combining education with competition, NewsBrands Ireland is helping to prepare the next generation of planners for the realities of the advertising industry.
What Marketers Can Learn From Starcom’s Win
There is a broader lesson in Starcom’s success. In an era of fragmented attention, winning campaigns are often the ones that stay disciplined. They begin with audience understanding, build a clear message and select media environments with intent.
For brands planning their next media campaign Ireland strategy, the essentials remain the same:
- Start with a real consumer insight
- Choose channels for a reason, not just for reach
- Align timing with audience need states
- Ensure creativity and media work together
- Use trusted platforms to strengthen effectiveness
Starcom’s victory is a reminder that great planning is still one of the most valuable competitive advantages in advertising. The best media campaign Ireland teams create is never just visible; it is thoughtful, connected and built to deliver.
As NewsBrands Ireland’s latest competition showed, strategic clarity continues to matter. For agencies, publishers and brands alike, the takeaway is simple: a successful media campaign Ireland effort depends on insight, smart channel use and a plan that holds together from first idea to final recommendation.
