Ardmore Advertising and Marketing

16/06/2026

It’s hard to believe we're already halfway through June, which means it's almost time for Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026.

Representing Ardmore Group, John Keane, Miriam Moertl, Amy Henderson and Ed Henderson will be in attendance all week alongside Worldwide Partners, Inc. and fellow Indies from across the network, whose work is in contention for Lions this year. Explore some of the featured work here: https://www.worldwidepartners.com/blog/202606010000/2026-cannes-lions-contenders?ob=newest

We're also looking forward to catching up with industry friends and partners from the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising), IAPI (Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland), (good luck to all the Young Lions competitors!!!) and Alliance of Independent Agencies, all of whom are representing the amazing work being produced across the UK and Ireland.

This year's programme promises to be truly inspiring, and we hope everyone attending comes away with something memorable. You'll definitely find us at Basis Technologies Oasis on Tuesday for the Confessions of a CMO panel at 12:30pm and the Future of Independent Agencies panel from 3-5pm.

We'll also be keeping up with the fantastic content and events from LBBonline - Little Black Book, Campaign Magazine, Adweek, The Female Quotient and so many more throughout the week.

And, of course, we'll be enjoying a glass of rosé when we can! If you’re heading to Cannes and would like to connect while you're there, let us know.

See you on La Croisette!

27/05/2026

An insightful report released this week by Aviva Insurance indicates that 78% of drivers in Ireland engage in distracting behaviour like, using a mobile phone, map apps, and eating while driving.

With careless inattention being one of the biggest causes of death and serious injury on the road it is vital that all drivers realise that always driving safely is their priority and that selfish, distracting choices can have major consequences that last a lifetime.

New Aviva research reveals 78% of Irish drivers engage in distracting behaviours like phone use and in-car tech, highlighting major road safety concerns.

27/05/2026

In partnership with The Gate Films, Ardmore and the Department for Infrastructure have been shortlisted for three Prolific North awards for our most recent road safety advertising campaigns:

🏆Best Advertising Campaign

🏆Social Impact and Public Good

🏆Excellence in Creative Craft

It is a fantastic line up of creative work, so fingers crossed and good luck to everyone!

22/05/2026

For our latest employer brand campaign with Stena Line UKIE, we wanted to move beyond the traditional recruitment script and show life onboard as it really is.

Designed to resonate with specialist seafarers across the UK, Ireland and Europe, the campaign was built around a simple strategic insight: Audiences trust the experiences of their peers above all else.

So rather than leading with corporate messaging, we focused on authentic employee voices and the things seafarers genuinely want to know: Crew dynamics, progression opportunities, rotation patterns, onboard facilities and the rhythm of life at sea.

From the galley to the engine rooms, we spent time with crew members in their own environments, capturing the camaraderie, professionalism, teamwork and pride that shape everyday life onboard. Creatively, the aim was to place the camera inside the working world of the crew, documenting real people doing the work and telling their own stories.

A life less ordinary - told by the people living it every day.

Launching initially to attract Deck Ratings, the campaign will roll out across a broader range of specialist roles in the coming weeks and we’re looking forward to sharing more soon!

Read More: https://lbbonline.com/news/Live-a-Life-Less-Ordinary-in-Stena-Line-Recruitment-Campaign

21/05/2026

We’re proud to be an Indie Agency - Innovation, agility and an obsession with craft shape how we think and the work we create. So, it’s an honour to be recognised in this year’s Alliance of Independent Agencies Awards shortlist:

🏆 Best Art Direction/Design - Department for Infrastructure, Control or Speed

🏆 Best Entertainment, Leisure & Travel Campaign - visitPA

🏆 Best Idea/Concept - Send My Bag, Send More Carry Less

Proud to see the work recognised alongside so many brilliant independents.

19/05/2026

From storyboard sketches to a VFX portal, step into the work behind animation at Ardmore.

Created for Translink’s Journey Planner App campaign, the brief was simple: Raise awareness of the app, spotlight lesser-known features and make journey planning feel easier, smarter and more connected for both new and existing users.

To bring that to life socially, we developed a simulated VFX portal effect inspired by the wider OOH campaign. Starting in a familiar, everyday location, the user steps through a Translink-branded portal into an entirely new destination, visually reinforcing how the app seamlessly connects people from one journey to the next.

The process moved from early storyboard sketches and test shoots through to editing, compositing, and final animation. It was carefully designed to feel fluid and immersive, allowing the campaign to showcase the simplicity of multi-modal travel planning, live travel updates and real-time tracking features in a way that felt engaging, intuitive and social-first.

18/05/2026

As summer approaches, we’re looking back at the campaigns that made our clients impossible to ignore last year.

In summer 2025, we brought Pennsylvania to Dublin.

In Europe, Pennsylvania wasn’t overlooked, it was invisible. When visitPA approached us, the State lacked a meaningful presence in the European travel mindset.

With the city’s summer social calendar packed with tourists and sports fans, Dublin became Pennsylvania’s European debut, and with the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL game landing in the city, the timing couldn’t have been better. Dublin wasn’t just hosting the game, it became part of Pennsylvania.

From sport and music to food and heritage, we transformed Dublin’s streets into a live showcase of the State, meeting people where they were already gathering and exploring. What better way to discover a new destination than through the lens of your own city?

The strategy centred on cultural participation over traditional paid media. Rather than interrupting audiences, we embedded Pennsylvania into the moments Dublin was already talking about. Outdoor became a social channel in its own right: Contextually relevant creative in high-footfall locations, designed to spark conversation, sharing and real-world engagement.

Since launch, Pennsylvania has seen a 14% increase in arrivals from Ireland and a 3.6% gain in share.

Source: National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO)

Pennsylvania went from invisible to unmissable, shifting from curiosity to genuine consideration.

08/05/2026

Behind the Scenes – Department for Infrastructure Control or Speed and Priority List.

This is the type of brief that will save lives.

That responsibility shaped our approach from the outset. We knew how the work needed to land and how to present the ideas in a way that would genuinely connect with an audience.

From concept through to final delivery, each stage and every shot was carefully crafted and executed with intent to ensure the creative message was delivered against the brief in the most impactful and responsible way.

For this production we appointed the team at The Gate Films and director, Michael J Ferns, bringing together a highly experienced crew to help produce the vision that Creative Director, Glenn Irwin and Executive Creative Director, Paul Bowen created. We wanted to accurately portray the consequences of speeding and selfish choices behind the wheel.

08/05/2026

Now that everyone’s got their breath back... Last weekend, we partnered with Phoenix Energy to bring their Belfast City Marathon sponsorship to life through a dynamic city-wide OOH takeover designed to support runners from start to finish.

Our Media Team mapped the marathon journey across three key zones: Arrival, route, and post-race, delivering tailored messages that reflected exactly where runners were in the moment. From “Halfway There” to “Only 1 Mile To Go”, every touchpoint was designed to encourage, motivate, and celebrate participants throughout all 26 miles.

With over 30 messages displayed across Belfast, the campaign ensured Phoenix Energy showed up for runners every step of the way. And at 3pm, every screen switched to one simple message: “Well Done Everyone, Thanks For Taking Part!”

Bringing back familiar faces Jim and Jane, the creative struck a balance of humour, warmth, and encouragement that felt perfectly in tune with the spirit of the day, connecting not only with participants, but also the incredible supporters lining the streets across the city.

We were proud to see this fully integrated campaign come to life across OOH and Digital, helping amplify Phoenix Energy’s sponsorship in a meaningful and memorable way.

Read more: https://lbbonline.com/news/Phoenix-Energy-Belfast-Marathon

01/05/2026

Our offices will be closed from this evening for the Bank Holiday weekend, reopening on Tuesday 5th May.

Need support while we're away? Email us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help.

Enjoy the long weekend!