McConnell’s and AFA O’Meara merge to create Ireland’s largest ad agency

IRELAND’s two leading independently owned advertising agencies, McConnell’s and AFA O’Meara, have merged, confirming recent press speculation.

The newly merged entity will have a combined turnover of €89 million and will be the largest ad agency in the Irish market, in terms of both employment levels and billings. The business will be headed by chief executive, Damian Bell, with Fiona Scott taking over the managing director role on the McConnell’s side from Jarlath Jennings. Mr

Jennings will stay on as non-executive director.

It remains a 100% Irish-owned company with no external shareholders. All business will now be consolidated at McConnell’s new premises on Dublin’s Barrow Street, employing more than 125 people.

“We are sure that new dynamics and strength will come from the merger in itself. This is particularly important in the digital interactive era, where we have high expertise. We intend to put creativity at the core, driven by client service and we will demonstrate this across the myriad of channels facing today’s consumer,” said Stuart Fogarty, director and former managing director of AFA.

“In this highly competitive climate, we need to be able to offer both scale and expertise. We need scale to give greater value for money to clients and expertise in all areas of communication but notably digital. We must ensure we continue to build great and resilient brands,” added former McConnell’s chairman John Fanning.

The new group’s biggest clients include O2, AIB, Tesco, Irish Rail/Bus Éireann, Ballygowan, Irish Distillers, IDA Ireland, the ESB and Intel.