The Branding of Ireland

The positioning of Ireland as the most favorable region for multinational companies to situate their European operations is one of the great marketing success stories of the Innovation Economy. Indeed, the Irish have shown that with clear, consistent, and compelling communications, in combination with diligent face-to-face contact with the targeted companies it seeks to attract , small regions can succeed in the Innovation Economy.

The Irish advertising story is remarkable for several reasons. Ireland was positioned as an attractive, profitable place to do business despite significant prejudices and handicaps the country faced in the 1970s and 1980s as an economically and politically troubled region. Just as significant has been the determined effort of Ireland to move up the value chain to attract high-tech jobs and operations, not just manufacturing from foreign direct investors.

Ireland's efforts very much parallel Taiwan's in this respect. They moved from a reputation for cheap labor and low taxes to respect as a world-class region for the full spectrum of multinational operations.

Advertising Ireland's business environment was designed to both position Ireland as a good industrial base to enter the European market and as a great place to make a high profit. The advertising set the stage for a sales call from IDA Ireland representatives, who would target specific companies that had been designated desirable for Ireland economic development.

The goal of advertising Ireland over the past four decades was to establish Ireland as a stable, secure, and profitable location for investment, with an especially pro-business operating environment. This progression may be tracked through the decades of Ireland's ad campaigns .