Making their minds up for you
“There was a lot of concern that radio was going to die a death when the internet took off but the radio listenership figures are the same as they were 10 years. Spotify and iTunes are trying to be radio stations but a successful radio station is a combination of the music, the energy and the personality. The internet is trying to do what radio has always done, but without the personality. I left school and got a job with Century FM. On my first day I had to take all the staples out of the music logs. Then I started to produce a sports show, then I moved to 2FM as programme director before launching Spin in 2002. I joined Communicorp as group programme director this year, and that includes working with Today FM. Today FM has a well-established schedule, the main parts of which have been in place for a while and which work well. Behind each show is a great team, and so items are planned and they’re based around what people are talking about. Each show has a production team which works closely with the presenter to plan the show. I suppose I keep an eye across everything.
“People leave, people get run over by buses, but we always have a long-term plan for new presenters. When we first heard KC he was working on Red FM. We started him on evenings to let him get comfortable but we always knew he had great potential, so we were fortunate to have him when Ray Foley left as he was a ready-made replacement. We have an open process when it comes to hiring staff and replacing people — we don’t rush. We put someone on a show and let them learn and develop to eventually end up on the prime slots. When I first started in radio a lot of presenters came from pirate stations, but that supply really isn’t there any more so within Commicorp we’ve launched an online station called frq to try and train people up like the pirates used to.
“The other big change has been around content: it had to change — it can’t just be about the music anymore, there needs to be entertainment and personality. The job of radio is to take a song you don’t know, play it until you like it and then take it off before you get sick of it. Radio has something extra and when that something extra is there — it’s magic.”
“My job literally starts with the animal and goes from there to ensure that the quality is constantly at the highest standard. Because Tesco is the biggest retailer in the country ensuring that the quality is consistent every day and in every store is difficult. We provide specifications to our farmers and then again to our packers to ensure every cut of meat meets our standards.
“We plan up to eight weeks in advance, but because our product only has a three-four day shelf life we have a tight window to get it right. The recent spate of good weather meant that our customer started to BBQ more, which meant we had to meet their demands. Our pattern of consumption changes all the time. We use historic data and the experience that comes with being in the business to try and manage those demands and preempt what people want.
“Origin is a massive issue for the consumer these days. We are known as a food island and we have some of the best food producers in the world, so it’s important that we reflect that. People are more discerning now and more educated about what they eat and we have to respond to that. I couldn’t go home to Mullingar and sit with my friends who are farmers if I didn’t know that I was using only the best produce I could get.
“I came at this job from the other direction, my background is in marketing. I studied in Waterford IT and once I graduated I got a job with Dairygold and moved to the UK were I was responsible for the export of Irish meat, so I suppose I fell into the meat business. My parents are in the food industry so maybe it was always in my blood.
“We have a saying in Tesco that we need to Obsess About Fresh and that’s the ethos we go by, our buyers are all passionate about what they do. I’ve been in this business for about 12 years and trends do come and go. There was a trend a while ago for lamb liver, started by Jamie Oliver, and for a short time everyone was making their own pâté. But micro trends like that come and go, you can always see the long lasting ones from way off. At the moment there’s a trend for convenience foods and healthier options.
“We’re all more educated about what we eat and that’s reflected in the market. As a retailer we need to figure out how to tick the healthy and convenient box and that responsibility rests with the product team.”
“I have worked in retail since I was 16 and when I finished college in 2007 I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in fashion buying.
“Despite my degree being a BA in History and Modern Irish from UCD, I applied to Penneys buying office as soon as I graduated and have worked my way up from buying administrator to buyer. I have been with the company for six years and during that time the menswear customer profile in Ireland has changed immensely. The buying team are working hard to appeal to a more trend-led consumer without alienating those who come to Penneys for their staples.
“At the moment Pharrell Williams is leading the varsity trend — key pieces from our menswear range include over-size mesh tops with chest print numbers inspired by baseball/American football uniforms, pigment dyed dropped crotch jog pants and high top trainers — while Jared Letto, Robert Sheehan and Johnny Depp are the poster boys for the grunge nostalgia trend.
“When we’re deciding what trends to develop we look at a combination of factors. We look back at the previous season and learn key lessons by looking at what sold and what didn’t. We start each season with a colour and trend story analysis from trend forecasting websites, trade shows, catwalks and by reviewing what is happening in the market through inspiration trips across Europe, USA and Asia. Market trends do influence our buys for menswear but as an international buying office that covers northern Europe and Iberia, trends in general can gather momentum at different times across different regions. Feedback from our European retail teams is invaluable.
“In terms of homegrown ideas, our licence T-shirts are an ever-changing, exciting and growing product. We track all popular culture, including film launches, key television shows, up-and-coming music icons or legendary artists who might work for a product launch.
“One of the most surprising trends in recent years as been the Irish reaction to the onesie and the Christmas jumper. The response in the market place was very surprising!”
Skinny jeans: They started as a supermodel trend but ten years later have become a wardrobe staple
Red lipstick: It goes in and out of fashion, but if was good enough for Marilyn it’s good enough for us
Sushi: For a while it seems like only 1980s Yuppies ate sushi, then supermarkets got in on the act and it’s now a valid lunchtime option
Pilates: It started slowly and there was a fear that it would go the same way as step aerobics, but Joseph Pilates’ 34 movements are here to stay
Grow Your Own: A trend started by hipsters but tending to allotments and growing our own veg is a great way to combat stress and save cash
Leg warmers: What were we thinking? Several designers have tried to bring them back but we learned our lesson the first time
Banana clips: Why?
Line dancing: Blame Billy Ray Cyrus but for a brief moment in the 90s anybody who was anybody wanted to tush push
Mini backpacks: Nothing fit in them and they made you feel like a giant
Pop tarts: Why did we ever think that a tart filled with goo would be a delicious breakfast snack?
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
