The latest episode of The Irish Marketing Podcast has dropped.
This week, one of the country’s most respected marketing supremos, Fiona Curtin, marketing director of Heineken Ireland, talks about a range of topics with host Daryl Moorhouse.
As marketing director for a global brand like Heineken, she discusses the importance of balancing the left-brain and right-brain and highlights how critical it is to protect time and space for creative thinking, agency debates, and innovation alongside the “business as usual” of logistics, spreadsheets, and people management to truly nurture a brand.
Fiona also talks about changing consumer habits when it comes to alcohol, noting that alcohol consumption in Ireland is down over 30% compared to 15 years ago. She also explains how the launch of Heineken 0.0 in 2018 transformed non-alcoholic beer from a “grudge purchase” for designated drivers into a normalized, active lifestyle choice—especially as Gen Z changes the way we socialize.
In addition, she talks about a standout Heineken-backed initiative where 26 people from different walks of life banded together to save their local village pub. This grassroots movement to keep community spaces alive has gained so much traction that there’s now talk of a “tour” to help other communities across Ireland emulate this successful model.
Finally, she shares behind-the-scenes insights into what it’s like working with a global brand while ensuring campaigns actually land with local audiences. She talks about the importance of being “in the kitchen early” with global teams to add local spins, while also enjoying the complete autonomy of running and exporting deeply beloved, locally-owned Irish brands like Beamish and Murphy’s.
The Irish Marketing Podcast is brough to you by IMJ/Adworld.ie and Tinpot Productions and is hosted by Daryl Moorhouse.
