Our Events
Beyond Yes. A Decade of Visibility
It’s been 10 years since the Marriage Equality Referendum. A milestone that means so much, to so many.
A moment that wasn’t the end of our journey, nor the beginning. But a moment full of hope and optimism on the remarkable journey that is the queer story of Ireland. The memorable campaigns that helped secure that historic 'Yes' vote showed us the power of authentic representation and storytelling, establishing a foundation for the decade of advertising that has followed.
ADvocates Ireland supported by the Marketing Society of Ireland and IAPI, are going to mark the occasion the best way we know how: by talking about advertising. Join us on Thursday 15th May from 5.30pm in The Royal Irish Academy of Music for a welcome drink.
Arrival drinks provided by Britvic and Absolut. We will discuss advertising’s role in LGBTQ+ representation with a keynote talk from Moninne Griffith, CEO of Belong To and former director of Marriage Equality Ireland.
Places are limited so early registration is advised, get your tickets early
Tickets are €10 + Eventbrite booking fees, your full €10 will go directly to Belong To, along with a generous donation from The Marketing Society of Ireland.
Belong To are our national LGBTQ+ youth organisation. They do phenomenal work to support LGBTQ+ youth in Ireland.
Find out more about them here: https://www.belongto.org/
Then, take a look back at some of the best (and worst) LGBTQ+-focused campaigns of the last decade. From that Dublin Bus ad that brought a tear to all of our eyes, to that influencer beer campaign that just keep getting worse, our expert panel will be taking an in-depth look at what work works, and what work doesn’t.
Speaker Line-Up:
Keynote from the legendary, Moninne Griffith, CEO of Belong To and former Director of Marriage Equality Ireland
Kieran has 17 years of experience in Client Service roles at Ireland's top creative agencies across a diverse portfolio of international and local brands. He has shown a deep commitment to positive activism, campaigning on the ground for Yes Equality in 2015 and Together for Yes during the successful campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment in 2018.
Today, he continues to champion inclusion and representation as a board member of Belong To – LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland and a council member of The Marketing Society of Ireland.
Etain is a senior leader at TU Dublin, where she serves as Head of the School of Marketing and Entrepreneurship - a community of more than 70 academics and 1500 students. Her research spans examining LGBTQ+ experiences in the workplace and in business, digital disruption, and the strategic role of marketing in societal transformation.
Etain collaborates closely with not-for-profits including Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre, and the Dublin Simon Community. She is passionate about driving meaningful change by turning ideas into action.
Brendan is a multi-award-winning journalist and broadcaster, with a wealth of radio experience. Previously, he was Editor in the Newstalk newsroom across its Music & Entertainment brands, including Today FM, SPIN and 98FM.
He now wakes up Dublin every morning, co-presenting 98FM’s Big Breakfast alongside Rebecca Shekleton.
Gemma is a Senior Account Director with 13 years' experience delivering standout campaigns for some of Ireland’s leading creative agencies. A passionate advocate for equality, she campaigned from the US for a Yes vote in both the marriage referendum and the movement to Repeal the 8th.
Known for her creative spark, bold style, and vibrant personality, Gemma brings colour, energy, and fresh thinking to every brief. She's also a dedicated animal welfare supporter and believes in the power of creativity to drive meaningful change.
Adam is a seasoned Group Account Director with over a decade of experience spanning both client and agency sides. From grassroots businesses to bold, high-profile brands, Adam brings a rare breadth of insight into building campaigns that not only cut through, but connect.
A passionate activist at heart, Adam has long believed that advocacy isn’t a sideline, it’s part of who he is. He was a vocal champion of the Yes Equality campaign in 2015 and proudly supported Together for Yes during the historic repeal of the Eighth Amendment in 2018. Whether marching the streets with a flag in hand, amplifying causes online, or pushing for authentic representation in his work, Adam brings purpose and passion into everything he does.
We hope to see you there to mark the end of a decade of visibility and the start of a whole new one. The 10 year anniversary of the referendum marks a decade of change, of love and of visibility, an important moment for us to remember not only as an industry, but as people.
Our journey continues
Its 10 years since Ireland said 'yes' to marriage equality
10 years of support.
10 years of struggles.
10 years of rainclouds and rainbows.
We have come so far as an industry, and as a society as a whole, but it’s never been more evident that we have so far still to go. This event will look beyond the rainbow, at where we are, where we need to go, and how to get there.
The collaborative event, organised by ADvocates Ireland, IAPI, MII, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre, and TU Dublin, is taking place on Tues 25th March, 8.30-11.30am in The Courtyard, TU Dublin Aungier St. and free tickets are available through the link below. Oisin O’Reilly will be speaking about the current landscape in Ireland and we will be hearing a case study of Just Eat’s recent successful Pride campaign.
There will also be time after the event for deep discussion with all of our speakers and panellists.
Allyship
“Someday I'll wish upon a star,
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me”
has never been more important.
Now is the time to show true support and bring about real change. Let’s all play our part and become the silver linings of these cloudy days.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Speaker Line-Up:
Welcome address Dr. Rosie Hand from TU Dublin
Keynote & Current Landscape by Oisín O'Reilly, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre
Who will dive into the current landscape— in Ireland and internationally—exploring how we can build sustainable, values-driven partnerships that truly make a difference.
JUST EAT CASE STUDY
They will share their successes & challenges, and how they authentically embraced the LGBTQ+ community during Pride 2024.
How brands can truly connect with and support the LGBTQ+ community—not just for Pride month, or 10 Year Marriage Referendum anniversary, but every day.
Karen Downey, Marketing Manager Just Eat Ireland, Oisín O'Reilly, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre and Shane Doyle, Group Strategy Director, Core.
Darryl Campbell, Account Director Fabric Social
Anna Mello, Photographer & Artist
Hear first-hand from Anna Melo, queer Brazilian freelancer, as she provides a unique perspective on breaking into the Irish industry and why having queer creatives or freelancers involved can positively impact the work
The event will conclude with an invigorating panel discussion moderated by Dr. Etain Kidney, Head of School of Marketing & Entrepreneurship at TU Dublin, on how our industry can play it's part to ensure the next decade is one of action, inclusion and solidarity.
Followed by closing comments from Christine Matthews of ADvocates Ireland
Pride and Prejudice in Placement
What does your ad placement say about your brand? How do you identify inclusive placement? How do you balance brand safety and modern journalism? And why does it matter?
Join us to answer these, and lots more questions about media placement and inclusivity
Media’s role in creating a more inclusive Ireland
ADvocates Ireland, Marketing Institute Ireland, Diageo, Core, TU Dublin, QAPI and IAPI are joining forces to host this event for all digital, media and marketing professionals and students, to open up the conversation about media’s role in making our industry as inclusive as possible.
The purpose of which will be to understand and establish best practices for us all moving forward. The morning will feature presentations from industry leaders and a panel discussion designed to provoke thought and future consideration.
Speaker Line-Up:
Welcome address by Etain Kidney and Dr. Rosie Hand from TU Dublin
An insightful talk by Pradeep Mahadeshwar
A visual artist and advocate from QAPI. Pradeep’s talk, "The Medium is the Message," will share lived experiences from the queer migrant community in Ireland.
Sharing best practice strategies for safeguarding brand integrity across channels. As a leader from Ireland's largest marketing communications company, Therese will demonstrate how Core actively works to protect brand safety while ensuring media campaigns align with modern journalism and brand values.
How Diageo fosters diversity and inclusion within Irish media. Liam’s talk will delve into identifying authentic connections between brands and communities through inclusive planning, accessible media, and championing underrepresented voices.
Therese Prendiville, Senior Media Manager at Core
Liam El Sibai, Brand Manager at Diageo
Laura O'Donovan, Business Development Director at
Irish Centre for Diversity
Through The Irish Centre for Diversity's accreditation framework, they've assessed and advised over 300 organisations across Ireland, on how to adopt positive change in their working environment, across both public and private Sectors. Laura will discuss what best practice looks like and how to implement some of this in your own workplace.
The event will conclude with a panel discussion moderated by Catherine FitzGibbon, Chief People Officer at Core, followed by closing comments from Christine Matthews of ADvocates Ireland
Sign up for tickets today
Tickets are limited, offered on first come first served basis.
Over the Rainbow
We are officially Over the Rainbow.
Join us on Wednesday 13th March at 8.30-11.15am in TU Dublin, Central Quad, Grangegorman - The Kepak Theatre (CQ010) for a masterclass on how to avoid rainbow washing and create genuinely impactful work for Pride 2024.
An impassioned collaboration between ADvocates Ireland, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre, IAPI, MII, IBEC and TU Dublin, this event is for our entire industry: brand owners and marketeers, advertising agencies, media companies, everyone is welcome.
The morning will consist of educational talks from industry experts and a panel discussion focussed around the enigma that is an effective Pride campaign. Our aim is to inspire and empower by providing valuable insights and usable takeaways so we can all create even more important, impactful work..
Our next event...
Happy Holigays 2023
Thanks for your interest in our first ADvocates Ireland event on 11th October - it was a wonderful evening of open discussion and networking.
We would love to see you all again for our festive get together:
Street 66
Tuesday 19th December
from 4.30pm-7.30pm
Bring a friend, a colleague, a partner - the more the merrier.
Register your interest here
To attend our ADvocates Ireland inaugural event.
For an open and engaging conversation around LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion in the Irish media, marketing and advertising industry and to network with like minded individuals.
