Dublin wakes up this morning with a new sponsorship agency ready to open its doors early in the New Year.
Livewire, billed as a new 360 degree sponsorship consultancy has been created as part of Core Media, Ireland’s largest media group which includes Mediavest, Starcom and Ignite Market Research in its family of companies.
Livewire will officially launch in the New Year and will focus its services on the Irish sponsorship industry, estimated to be worth €125 million per annum.
In particular the new agency will focus on sponsorship strategy, rights negotiation, activation and evaluation for sponsors and rights holders.
This will pitch it head to head with a number of other companies working in the space including PSG Sponsorship one of the companies to grow out of the merger between Slattery Communications and Pembroke Communications following the latter’s buy out from the Core Media Group earlier this year.
WHPR, Fleishman Hillard, Murray Consultants, Edelman, JGA Sports, Cullen Communications, Legacy Consultants, Thinkhouse, Titan Marketing, Line Up SME and The Brand Fans are among the others to be working in and around the sponsorship area.
All are active members of the Sport for Business community as is the new entrant.
Announcing the new company, Alan Cox, CEO of Core Media said: “I am excited to announce the arrival of Livewire. We have taken time to assemble a diverse team and are delighted to have found the best talent to grow a high reputation business.”
Jill Downey, formerly Deputy MD of Starcom, is Managing Partner of the new agency. An existing board member and Director of Core Media, Jill has fifteen years experience in the media industry, acting as strategic advisor to brands including AIB, An Post, Musgraves, INM and Emirates.
Jamie Macken takes up the role of Partner. Formerly of Newstalk, RTÉ and Thinkhouse, Jamie’s diverse experience includes producing television coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and leading sponsorship activation for brands such as Heineken and Three.
Dr. Tony Meenaghan, Emeritus Professor of Marketing, Smurfit Graduate School of Business, has been responsible for several ground breaking international publications in the field of commercial sponsorshp and assumes the role of Chairman.
