A Clever way to use a podcast: Nano Nagle Place

When it comes to your Digital Marketing, a very clever way of making your organisation or brand stand out could be to start your own “Podcast Show“, effectively creating your own unique Media Channel to reach your target audience.

Podcasts can be a very powerful addition to your digital assets, whereby your audience get to hear from your team, hear about the important issues and how you are unique, all in your own voice. Someone listening to just one episode can be worth so much more than ‘liking’ an image on Instagram or Facebook and will create a much deeper, long lasting connection with you

Internationally, there are about 800,000 podcasts, making up almost 30 million episodes in 100 languages. Just 250,000 of these are “active” using the criteria of published in the last month. The people that subscribe and listen to podcasts tend to be extremely loyal to them and follow a listening routine.

Podcasts are perfect for the commuting, gym going demographic who want to be entertained and educated while they go about their daily tasks but can’t watch their screens and also those who are curious and want to delve into topics in a much deeper and more meaningful way.

The beauty of the podcast format is that it is so flexible and it can be used in so many special ways to do quite different jobs, from listening to an expert talking about their subject matter to even bedtime stories for children!

The podcasts can be featured on your website, included in email campaigns and used as very valuable social media content.

Nano Nagle Place Podcast

In the case of the Nano Nagle Place podcast, we were approached by the very innovative team there and they wanted to tell the very special story of the transformation of the near derelict, but hugely significant South Pres site in Cork city, to the fantastic place that they have today including a Visitor Centre, Gardens, Restaurant, Archives, Meeting Rooms and home to the Ministry, which includes the Lantern Project, the Men’s Group and the Cork Migrant Centre.

In order to tell this very special story we agreed to record a series of interviews with a large cast of very special characters and we created a podcast “Show” and a sequential series of “episodes” , each telling the story of the transformation of the place, but also providing a huge insight into the history, the characters, the personalities, the diversity, the ethos, the vision and the sacredness of Nano Nagle Place, which touches everyone that works and visits there.

In the clever series we hear about:

• Nano Nagle’s Story
• Life as a nun in a closed order
• The love of teaching and the need for creativity
• Life in inner city Cork
• The planning and thinking behind the development
• The challenges with the redevelopment of the old buildings
• Planning permission, funding challenges and rebuilding
• The special work of the Presentation Order in Ireland and overseas
• The passion of everyone involved
• The retirees who volunteer as tour guides and as coordinators in other activities
• Transformational and innovative work with migrants
• Famous Cork DJs bringing joy to migrant children through Hip Hop
• A vision to take Nano’s work into the future

All of this story is delivered with passion by the cast of Sisters, team members and volunteers from all walks of life, who have all fallen under Nano Nagle’s spell, as you will hear in the podcast series.

We are really proud to have been part of this podcast series, all of which was recorded during Covid in conditions that were not ideal, over Zoom, in rooms with socially distanced guests and open windows, but I hope you agree they have captured the magic of the Nano Nagle story.

We were part of the planning, we created the show graphics, we recorded and edited all episodes and I had the privilege of hosting these wonderful conversations.

You can hear the first episode of the podcast series here featuring he very special Sr. Mary Dineen who said goodbye to her mum and walked into South Pres as a novitiate on a sunny day in September 1955, a closed order at the time. She tells her fascinating story in huge detail, providing a unique perspective of her life and insights into educating children from inner city, working class Cork.

Click here to hear the episode with Sr. Mary Dineen

This is just a small example of the power of podcasting, a unique way to reach your audiences and tell a story in a special way that is captured for today and for posterity.

Greg 

Greg Canty is the producer of this and other client podcasts and his own, ‘Win Happy’ podcast. We offer a full podcasting production service to clients..

Should we be using the Irish language more frequently in Ireland’s Media/PR industry?

The topic of the Irish language amongst Irish people can be a very touchy subject.

Only 73,000 Irish people speak the Irish language on a daily basis – and the other 4.7 million of us don’t!

Why is this?

Is it because of how Irish is taught to us in school, or is it just our lack of exposure to the language?

Even though about 95% of the Irish population cannot speak Irish fluently or do not use it on a daily basis, we are quite protective over the language in general.

To many, the Irish language is part of our Nation’s individual identity. We tend to view the Irish language as part of our heritage and culture, and it also separates us from and makes us different from other countries who primarily speak English.

If we are so precious over our language, then why is it not used more regularly? In my opinion, I think that we are afraid of the language due to how it was taught to us in school.

In recent years, the Irish language is slowly but surely making a more frequent appearance in our daily lives, though our media.

RTE 2FM have been a great role model by showing us that the Irish language can be fun.

This time last year, presenter, Tracy Clifford was not fluent in Irish at all. She took some time out to learn the language and since then she has presented a full show “As Gaeilge”, and this was a huge hit amongst listeners.

2FM superstar, Eoghan McDermott is a major advocate for the Irish language.

Since 2016, he has produced a full Irish music album, called “CEOL”. This album has featured some massive stars such as Ed Sheeran, Picture This, Macklemore, Saoirse Ronan and many more.

Since 2016, Eoghan has given away over 500,000 copies of the album to schools and competition winners all over the country.

This is such a huge undertaking, and a major commitment to the Irish language by 2FM and Eoghan.

According to Eoghan, he believes that there is a “retrospective appreciation” for (the Irish language), like the big firework Irish project that (2FM) do is the Ceol album.

“So we get bands to record a song in Irish. Over the last two years, we’ve given away over 500,000 copies of CEOL and I find so many people will request a copy, because they did Irish in school and never really appreciated it, but now they are a little bit older and have gone back to learn or have started to try and brush up on Irish”.

The Irish language isn’t a scary thing, so I don’t know why we are afraid to speak/ use our national language in the media or even in our day to day lives. Our language makes us unique, so why don’t we embrace it. The more exposure we have to the language, the more we will understand.

I think most people have a very basic understanding of the language and can generally piece together what is going on.

The language in which we view our media is just the medium, we should be embracing our language and appreciating our cultural originality through Irish.

However, I think with more exposure to the language through our media and different PR campaigns, that people will become less afraid and start to embrace our powerful and unique language.

Check out Is Sinne Óg by Picture This:

Abigail 

Abigail Shaw is a PR Executive with Fuzion Communications, a Marketing, PR and Graphic Design agency with offices in Dublin and Cork, Ireland

 

Céad Míle Fáilte

On Thursday the 14^th June, Grand Parade in Cork was full of school children, the media and hundreds of friendly faces all there to catch a glimpse, or for the lucky few a chance to meet, HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

As the royal couple made their way to the English Market, where they followed in the footsteps of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 2011, they were greeted by onlookers at every turn and the smiles on their faces showed how much they appreciated and enjoyed the warm welcome they received.

The English Market is one of my favourite accounts to work on for many reasons, and this royal visit was a major highlight. As I stood on the red carpet waiting for the arrival of the highly anticipated guests, I was filled with excitement and pride as I looked around and saw the ‘Céad Míle Fáilte’ waiting for them.

It’s true to say we really do give a hundred thousand welcomes and quite literally roll out the red carpet to welcome all who visit Ireland. The royal couple spent approximately an hour in the English Market as they laughed, chatted and even cut the 230^th birthday cake for the English Market.

Some people may not favour the royal family or have their own views on the royal couple but the friendliness of the Irish was well and truly on show and the fun and laughter enjoyed by the royal couple on the day really made me proud of all involved and all who and welcomed them with open arms.

This visit has been great for the relationship between our two countries and it also puts a another big spotlight on Ireland as a great and friendly place to visit.

Thank you Charles and Camilla!

Edel Cox is a Senior PR Account Manager with Fuzion Communications

Fuzion Communications are a Marketing, PR and Graphic Design firm with offices in Dublin and Cork, Ireland

BREXIT –What about IREXIT ?

This week we are privileged to have a guest blogger with us!

Roger Hobkinson, our favourite Londoner heads up Destination Consulting services with Colliers in Ireland. He was surprised that there was very little talk about our role in Europe in the run up to the General Election – are we too inward thinking?

Roger talks a lot of sense so I asked him to capture his thoughts in a blog post:

Blog post by Roger Hobkinson

This is going  to be provocative.  Ireland is sleepwalking into a European Super State, a sort of dysfunctional capitalist Soviet Union. As our exam papers used to say – let’s discuss.

Last Friday (26th Feb, 2016) marked the general election for the 32nd Dáil Éireann.  As a Londoner, Englishman and Brit who has lived in Ireland for nearly seven “interesting” years I am excited and honoured to be voting in my first Irish General Election, especially given the year this election falls in.

However I am feeling a little bemused as amongst all the scrapping and political point scoring in GE16, over admittedly very important every day issues for people –  water charges, hospital trolleys, jobs, housing etc – there appears to be no debate at all about Europe and Ireland’s place in it – zip, zero, nothing, rein, nichts, nada, faic/rud !!!

This at a time of massive challenge, change and catastrophe across Europe.  In the years following the financial and economic meltdown in Ireland, the Euro, that politically driven project that played a none too small part in creating the darkness that fell over the country, there is sure to be even more power handed over from Eurozone “countries” to Brussels and Frankfurt.  Are Irish people comfortable with that?

I’m feeling even more bemused as it’s the centenary of the Easter Rising the events that led to Ireland’s Independence from Britain and there has been mass coverage and debate about Brexit but no comment from the parties and/or  the Irish people on Ireland’s European relationship.  So you/(we!) are celebrating/commemorating the birth of the Irish Republic, then worry so much about what Britain may or may not do BUT not debating what is the best or desired relationship with the EU for Ireland and Irish people. This strikes me as crazy.

So if this Brit raises my eyebrows in a puzzled manner and a bit of gnashing of teeth it is because I care for my new home, Ireland. It does appear the Irish establishment wants to be part of a European super state and hand over yet more sovereignty, fiscal and political powers in Brussels, Frankfurt and let’s be honest Berlin in the coming years.

The Good stuff

Now I happen to think the “European Economic Community, then European Union” has on the whole been brilliant for the people of Europe.

The best thing is that it has brought people together and of course stopped Germany and France (and other countries) fighting each other, its developed trade, jobs, opportunities, understanding (sort of), improved standards (even if some countries play more by the rule book than others) and many other things.  However I believe it is now going too far.

Yes I want to be part of a European Union, understanding that some powers need to be given up for a “common European good” to tackle geo-politics, environment, crime, migration, social and economic mega trends that shape all our lives.  However I absolutely do not want Britain to be consumed into a European Super State.

So David Cameron’s negotiations struck me as maybe not a huge amount of detailed result but the fact that the UK has apparently secured the opt out of “ever closer union”.  That’s the thing. That’s the core principle to my mind. Well played Dave!

Where we have all come from to help us understand where we are going..

Lots of Brits are portrayed as arrogant, imperialist etc etc (sigh, sigh) in their belief that actually Europe is not for me.  Let’s think about where different countries came from; Spain, Portugal and Greece were fascist dictatorships within the last forty  years, Italy slightly further back and only a nation state since the middle of the 19^th century.

Eastern Europe and the Baltic states were part of the communist bloc, downtrodden by Soviet communism. France was a great, proud, strong and major power with a big colonial past who kept on fighting with its neighbour. That neighbour Germany,  became a nation state in the second half of the 19^thcentury. It then tried to rule Europe twice in under 30 years.  Since 1945 Germany has been incredibly successful (what was that about Germany’s debts written off – oh the irony).

Then we come to us here in Ireland. We know where Ireland came from don’t we!! Europe has helped Ireland find its own place and assert itself in Europe and the world.

So all these countries have understandable and different reasons for finding a home in the EU club.

Then we have Scandinavian countries, one bordered by Russia (enough said), and the sexy sensible Swedes and the delightful Danes, who clearly like the EU but are perhaps a little distant from it.

Then we have the UK. Britain might not be perfect but as London 2012 showcased it is one of the worlds’ most open, tolerant and dynamic countries with probably the worlds’ capital at this point in time in London. It’s the fastest growing of the big European economies, the 4^th biggest economy in the world, of course it will be overtaken by the likes of Brazil, India and Mexico as they get their acts together, but it will remain one of the strongest economies in the world.

Britain also that has huge soft power. Plus the UK is forecast to be the most populous European country by the 2030’s  at the same time that much of continental Europe has a decreasing population and the majority of Eurozone countries  have moribund economies. So if Britain votes to leave, Germans will not want to sell cars, Italians clothes and French wine to the UK ??!!!

Britain is also quite an old nation state, trading (global), strong links with the commonwealth from its colonial past,  a long established legal system and a political system that is not perfect, and in need of modernisation – it generally works well.  If I had a Euro for every time I’ve heard an Irish person in the last few years say “so and so politician or business person has got away with it again” (and we keep voting for them even worse!) – if that was in the UK or US they would be in front of investigative political, police and judiciary powers.  So in legal, political and trading terms the UK does lots and has lots of experience as to what works for it.

So maybe that pushes out an alternative narrative as to why Britons don’t want to be consumed into “ever closer union”?

Game over?

With my British head on I believe Britain should stay in the EU – on balance it will be better off in rather than out. I also want Great Britain to remain England, Scotland and Wales.  If Scotland votes massively to stay in and England votes to leave, I can’t argue with the Scots for wanting another referendum.  Although the irony of course is that they would almost certainly have less “power” in the emerging European Super State than as part of an increasingly “federal” UK.  Plus Britain “in” I think will be better for Ireland.

So hopefully post June 23, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic will still be in the EU and maybe more importantly for some still in Euro 2016 !!!

Roger Hobkinson – Colliers International

Thank you Roger for the incredible insights and as always, many words of wisdom!

Follow Roger on Twitter or on LinkedIn.

Ghost signs and seeing differently

A short tale about where things come from..

One of the things that Steve Jobs, boss of Apple asked us to do was to “Think Different“. As part of what I do as a designer, and as something that I bring to my role as the creative director at Fuzion and as an educator with CIT, I ask people to take this notion and to adapt it slightly to “See Different“.

Often, as designers, we are asked to create work that we know nothing about. To fashion “a design” almost from the air.

..but the truth is that we research our subjects and topics, referencing all sorts of things and cross referencing them with the topic over and back. Part of this research is now (thankfully) fuelled in a large part by the internet, and what we can make out is relevant to our clients and their products and services, important as part of the message and right for the work by means of imagery, fonts and colours.

Some of what we look at is the historical aspect of things – what the heritage of something may be and if there is a point of reference that we can use as inspiration to take us to the next stage of the design process – this could be anything, from the beautiful work of the Beggarstaffs (from the mid to late 1800’s) to the work of the utterly influential Bauhaus and so on.

As part of the heritage aspect, something I have found myself becoming more aware of and absorbed in over the past few years are what are termed “Ghost Signs“. These often overlooked and ignored relics are of a time when design really didn’t have a name, when graphic artists were the sign makers, the advertising creatives and the commercial image makers.

The internet is awash with people finding what essentially are a popular history of design, applied to exterior walls, used as emerging spaces ripe for advertising and announcing. Many, if not most, of these have disappeared from our urban landscape as new architecture has been added, but some remain, and this is where part of the notion of “See Different” comes in…

Cork. my home city only has a few left, one from a highly rare form of ghost sign where the information was created by using mosaic tile, the others a mix of painted walls and surfaces, but they give us a snapshot into a bygone time and a bygone craft.

And to see these ghost signs, you need a few things – one of which is luck. The other, well in order to see differently, you need to simply start looking up!

The corners of junctions and gable-ends were a favourite location for these notices, as were the large brick surfaces high over commercial buildings, such as on Cork’s Washington Street (where there are only two left) were also a prime spot.

And frequently, they have almost disappeared due to age, abandonment, being covered over and left to the elements. And this is where you need to See Differently, to bring them back into view.

On a recent trip to London, on a journey across the south of the city’s suburbs – one I have taken dozens of times, I saw a number of them that I had never noticed before, offering funeral home services, soap, chocolate milk, beer and matches. All reminders that someone somewhere once needed “a designer“.

And what is it that makes them of interest to me?

I love the the typography, I am fascinated by the history of the people both offering their services on these signs, and the craft involved in the planning, the design and the execution of these large-scale works. Just as the early websites fall into a digital dust, these signs are clinging on to remind us that..

..not everything is made of pixels, and finally, that good design is design that lasts.

Check out an interesting website that captures these designs from the past: www.dublinghostsigns.com

Jonathan

Jonathan Leahy Maharaj leads our creative Graphic Design Department in Fuzion with offices in Cork and Dublin, Ireland