The next big media campaign ireland talking point has arrived as IAB Ireland reveals the full speaker line-up for its Connect H2 conference in Dublin. Bringing together senior voices from adtech, media, publishing, platforms and audio, the event promises a sharp look at how marketers can adapt to rapid change across AI, audience strategy, creator marketing and premium media.
Set for Thursday, November 19 from 9am to 1pm at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel on Golden Lane, Dublin 8, Connect H2 will run under the theme “Adapt.Connect.Grow”. For brands, agencies and publishers tracking the future of a media campaign ireland strategy, the agenda reflects the issues shaping both performance and brand-building right now.
Why Connect H2 matters for media campaign ireland planning
The conference line-up signals where the market is heading. Rather than focusing on one discipline, IAB Ireland is bringing together speakers who cover the full modern marketing mix: AI agents, connected TV, audience intelligence, digital audio, creator-led commerce and the value of trusted news environments.
That breadth is important because every successful media campaign ireland now depends on connected decisions across channels. Marketers are no longer choosing between brand and performance, or between creativity and data. They are being asked to build campaigns that deliver all of the following:
- Stronger audience understanding
- Smarter use of automation and AI
- Better media effectiveness across screens
- Greater advertiser confidence in trusted environments
- Creative that reflects commerce and culture
In that sense, Connect H2 looks designed to help attendees move beyond buzzwords and toward practical decisions for 2027 planning and beyond.
The speaker line-up at a glance
IAB Ireland’s Connect H2 programme brings together a strong mix of local and international expertise. The confirmed sessions highlight how the industry is responding to technological disruption while still focusing on audience connection and measurable outcomes.
AI agents and the wider business impact
Daniel Hulme, chief AI officer at WPP Media, will explore how AI agents may influence marketing, business and society. This is likely to be one of the most closely watched talks, especially as automation becomes central to campaign planning, optimisation and customer experience.
For anyone building a media campaign ireland roadmap, the AI conversation has shifted. The question is no longer whether AI will affect media, but how brands can use it responsibly while preserving strategy, creativity and trust.
Connected TV and programmatic insight
Philip O’Connell, programmatic revenue and operations lead at Samsung Ads, will present “Behind the Screens”. That session is expected to delve into connected TV trends, viewing behaviour and the opportunities opening up in advanced TV advertising.
As streaming continues to reshape viewing habits, CTV is becoming a more important part of the digital advertising Ireland landscape. It offers brands the chance to blend television’s storytelling power with digital targeting and measurement.
Audience planning beyond age demographics
Christine Matthews, head of customer success at TGI Ireland, will lead a session titled “Beyond Age: Rethinking Audiences in the Age of AI”. This topic is especially relevant for planners moving away from basic demographic targeting toward more nuanced audience segmentation.
Modern audience planning increasingly relies on behaviour, mindset, context and intent. For a stronger media campaign ireland approach, marketers need richer audience insight than age brackets alone can provide.
Digital audio’s continued evolution
Bauer Media Audio Ireland will be represented by Ruth Fitzsimons, director of digital, and Liosín Crawley, head of commercial digital, in a joint presentation: “Beyond the Hype: Building Media That Connects”. Their session will examine how digital audio is maturing as a serious advertising channel.
That matters because audio is increasingly valuable for attention, frequency and emotional connection. Whether through podcasts, streaming or digital radio, audio now plays a bigger role in an integrated media campaign ireland mix.
Creator marketing, culture and commerce
Lauren Smith, senior client manager for ecommerce and retail at Meta, will present “The Creator Era”, focusing on the relationship between creativity, culture and commerce. This reflects how creator marketing has moved from experimental spend to mainstream strategy.
For marketers, creators can offer speed, relevance and authenticity, especially when campaigns need to connect with communities in real time. In the current social media marketing environment, creators are not just amplifiers; they are often central to the idea itself.
Premium news and advertiser confidence
Dave Brady, senior product manager for publishers at IAS, will tackle one of the industry’s most important debates in “Rethinking Risk in News: Turning Attention into Advertiser Confidence”. His session will look at the role premium news environments play in delivering attention and trust.
This is a timely discussion for any media campaign ireland decision-maker balancing brand safety, reach and relevance. Trusted journalism can offer both quality attention and stronger contextual value for advertisers.
The opportunity behind the AI dividend
Tiernan O’Morain, founder and executive adviser at Bringlode, will explore AI’s broader upside in “The AI Dividend: What Will We Do With It?” This should add a strategic layer to the programme, looking beyond efficiency gains to the long-term implications for businesses and teams.
What marketers and agencies should take from the agenda
The Connect H2 line-up reflects several clear priorities for the market. Anyone working in advertising strategy, brand planning or publisher partnerships should be paying attention to these themes:
- AI is moving from theory to operational reality across planning, insight and activation.
- Audience intelligence is getting more sophisticated, with less reliance on broad demographics.
- Omnichannel thinking matters more than ever, especially across audio, CTV and creator ecosystems.
- Trust and attention remain premium assets in a fragmented media environment.
- Creative effectiveness depends on cultural relevance, not just targeting precision.
Together, these themes point to a more connected future for every media campaign ireland brief, where technology, content and context need to work in sync.
Event details and ticket information
Connect H2 takes place on Thursday, November 19, from 9am to 1pm at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8. Early bird tickets are available through the IAB Ireland website, while advertisers can attend free of charge by contacting IAB Ireland directly.
For professionals across agencies, brands, media owners and platforms, the event looks set to offer practical insight into the issues defining the next phase of digital advertising in Ireland.
Conclusion
With topics spanning AI agents, audience strategy, digital audio, creator marketing, connected TV and premium news, IAB Ireland’s Connect H2 programme captures the biggest shifts shaping the market. For anyone refining a media campaign ireland strategy, this speaker line-up offers a timely snapshot of where smart, effective and future-ready media planning is heading.
