Marketing.ie, Ireland’s leading marketing, advertising and media monthly, is celebrating 25 years of publication this month. The magazine claims to circulate 3,000 magazines to marketing executives, advertising agencies and media, though its circulation is not independently verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

Marketing.ie was first launched in its print form of Marketing magazine in 1990 by its publisher and editor Michael Cullen.

In 1993, Marketing launched The Marketer of the Year award, which recognises the best marketing talent in Ireland.

“Marketing for me is all about the client – the person who pays everyone’s bills at the end of the day,” says Cullen. “Marketer of the Year really paid off. There have been some fabulous winners… from Cadbury’s Time Out to Fáilte Ireland and Croke Park. A magazine is like any brand, it needs constant care and nurturing.”

Casting an eye over a quarter of century of reporting on marketing and ads, Cullen recalls the milestone for the magazine that was ‘Ad of the Century’ in 1999.

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“We asked readers to nominate their favourite Irish ad of all time. When Guinness ‘Island’ won, I phoned their PR manager Pat Barry and suggested an idea for a photocall. So they agreed to transport a currach up from Kerry to Coliemore Harbour in Dalkey for some photos with the island in the background. The newspapers loved the idea and ‘Ad of the Century’ made the RTE news that night.”

The ad, produced in 1977, showed a pub scene in the west of Ireland as locals awaited delivery of kegs being ferried over by currach – it was from this ad that “Tá said ag teacht” entered the Irish/English vernacular.

In September 2009, Marketing was rebranded Marketing.ie to coincide with the revamp of the magazine’s website and the launch of its blog.

Cullen added: “When you compare producing a magazine in 1990 and 2015 – things have moved on unimaginably. Digital transformed not just how publishing operates but, more crucially, how media is consumed.

“Has it all been worth it? Recessions, constant deadlines and the huge challenge of getting to grips with digital aside, I’d say yes. Like parenting, the ups far outweigh the downs. When people ask me why you want to do what you do for so long, I reply that it’s a combination of masochism and egotism. If you keep the two balls in the air, you do okay!”