Digital versus traditional media debate for MeetWest 2015

Anyone who is in business in recent years is well aware of the struggle; old versus young, traditional versus digital – the issue remains the same.

Agencies and internal marketing departments alike have been divided by on the subject of where to allot their marketing spend — in traditional media like radio, print and television or in web, social media and mobile.

MeetWest 2015 has lined up leading experts on either side of the argument to debate the subject on the opening day of the two day business networking event in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone on Wednesday, November 18.

Entitled “The Challenge of Change – Combining Traditional and Digital Marketing for Best Results”, the two hour panel discussion will be chaired by TV3’s Colette Fitzpatrick.

Panellists  will include Features Digital Editor of the Irish Times Gary Quinn, who manages the transition of the Features Department from a print to a digital-first publishing platform and Niall McGarry, founder of leading lifestyle brands such as JOE.ie, Her.ie, SportsJOE.ie, HerFamily.ie and more recently JOE.co.uk.

The line-up also features Roscommon native Paul Young, CEO of Cartoon Saloon, the company behind the award winning animated film Song of the Sea.

Completing the distinguished panel of speakers is international social media expert Greg Fry and Ollie Daniels, CEO of the Insight Centre for Data Analytics.

MeetWest 2015 Project Manager Sheila Byrnes says she is looking forward to the discussion which will focus on the merits of traditional and new age media.

“It’s a subject that is always to the forefront when planning marketing budgets. Newspaper or twitter, where do they reach out first for their news needs – is online marketing replacing traditional, or when does traditional media out-perform online?” she said.

Ms Byrnes is encouraging companies planning to attend MeetWest 2015 to register early as registration will close when capacity numbers have been reached.

“Last year we closed four days ahead of planned and this year looks set to be no different, said Ms Byrnes who has been overseeing the successful networking event since 2015,” concluded Ms. Byrnes.

To register visit meetwest.ie