MediaPLUS: Entries open for Marketer of the Year 2026 - Business Plus
MediaPLUS is your weekly update on all that matters in media and marketingThe search has begun for Ireland's most outstanding marketing professional, with entries now officially open for Marketer of the Year. . .
MediaPLUS is your weekly update on all that matters in media and marketingThe search has begun for Ireland's most outstanding marketing professional, with entries now officially open for Marketer of the Year 2026, powered by BusinessPlus. ie. Since its launch in 1993, Marketer of the Year (MotY) has celebrated excellence in Irish marketing, recognising the individual whose strategic vision, innovation and leadership have delivered exceptional results for their brand, product or service. The prestigious award honours work carried out over the past two years and has become one of the industry's most respected accolades, recognising marketers who have made a significant impact on both their organisations and the wider profession. BusinessPlus. ie is now inviting nominations for this year's award. Whether you're putting yourself forward or nominating a colleague, the judging panel will be looking for marketers who have demonstrated excellence across six key areas. Nominations can be submitted by email tomoty@businessplus. ieor by post to Marketer of the Year, DMG Media Ireland, 3rd Floor, 20-38 Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 HE94. The closing date for entries set at 5pm on Thursday, September 24th, 2026. Three will sponsor the main stage at Electric Picnic until at least 2029. Three to sponsor EP main stageThree Ireland is set to become Electric Picnic's first main stage sponsor as part of a four-year deal. The festival's primary area will be known as the Main Stage presented by 3 from 2026 to 2029 in what will be Three's largest festival activation to date. The agreement adds to Three's name sponsorship of the 3Arena and 3Olympic venues in Dublin and expands on its more than 10-year partnership with Electric Picnic. The telecommunications group runs the Three City Stages initiative in support of emerging musicians, the winners of which will this year perform on the Electric Picnic main stage with City Stages ambassador Tinie Tempah. Additionally, Three+ customers will have the chance to win Electric Picnic experiences such as side-of-stage viewing and access to 3House, a new hospitality area with views of the main stage, a complimentary bar and exclusive prizes. “Music has been at the heart of Three's sponsorship strategy for many years. Through our partnerships with 3Arena, 3Olympia and Electric Picnic, we've built a platform that supports Irish music while giving our customers access to experiences they can't get anywhere else," saidTom Kinsella, chief consumer officer at Three Ireland. "Becoming the first-ever sponsor of Electric Picnic's Main Stage is a major milestone for Three and a natural next step in our relationship with the festival. "The Main Stage presented by 3 places us at the heart of one of Ireland's biggest cultural events and gives us an even greater opportunity to bring customers closer to the artists and performances they love. "Eoin O'Hare, legal affairs correspondent for the Business Post. (Pic: LinkedIn)O'Hare promoted to legal affairs correspondentThe Business Posthas appointedEoin O'Hareas legal affairs correspondent. Belfast native O'Hare will lead the publication's coverage of the courts and the corporate legal industry in Ireland. Since joining the Business Post in 2024, the Trinity graduate has served as an online reporter and as senior business reporter. He previously worked as a researcher for RTÉ and as a reporter for the Irish Independent. During his career, O'Hare has been nominated for a Justice Media Award and a Smurfit Business Journalist Award. “Eoin’s appointment is richly deserved," saidDaniel McConnell, editor of the Business Post. "He has distinguished himself since joining the Business Post in 2024 and will play a critical role in delivering the best legal affairs coverage in Ireland. Appointed to this role, Eoin knows what is expected of him and I wish him all the very best. ”Florence Okojie, reporter for RTÉ Radio 1. (Pic: LinkedIn)Okojie moves to RTÉ Radio 1Florence Okojiehas joined RTÉ Radio 1 as a reporter across the daytime schedule after leaving the children's television news programme news2day. In her new role, Okojie will report for programmes including Today with David McCullagh, The Oliver Callan Show and Drivetime. Writing on LinkedIn, she described her new job as "a brilliant opportunity to continue learning and to experience a different side of the newsroom. "I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next and continuing to learn along the way!"DCU graduate Okojie joined RTÉ two years ago after working as a newsreader and researcher for Newstalk. (l-r) Florence Pugh, Tom Holland, Zendaya and Marisa Tomei attend the "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" UK Premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on July 29, 2026 in London, England. (Pic: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)Summer box office tops $4bn in North AmericaSummer revenues at the North American box office have surpassed $4bn for the first time since 2023, buoyed by the one-two punch of The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Three years ago, the Barbenheimer phenomenon propelled ticket sales in the US and Canada for the May to August period to $4. 09bn. With the latest Spider-Man film grossing $654. 3m domestically in its first 10 days of release, the North American summer box office has reached a post-Covid high. Rentrak, the global measurement and research company, now expects the 2026 summer box office to be the most valuable since 2019. “Hitting this $4 billion threshold for only the second time since COVID is truly significant,” said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak. “Coming after several tumultuous years, the idea of theatrical moviegoing as something that would be replaced by small-screen entertainment can finally be put to rest. ”The May to August period typically accounts for 40% of cinema ticket sales. Prior to the pandemic, box office revenues in North America regularly exceeded $4bn. In 2013, summer box office revenues peaked at $4. 755bn, not adjusted for inflation. In 2018 and 2019, the last years before the pandemic, sales came to $4. 42bn and $4. 3bn, respectively. Following lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, the summer box office grew to $3. 4bn in 2022 and $4. 09bn in 2023 as stated before falling back to $3. 67bn in 2024 and $3. 65bn in 2025. In addition to Spider-Man and The Odyssey ($461. 4m in North America), this summer has also seen big hits such as Toy Story 5 ($470. 7m), Obsession ($263. 3m), and The Devil Wears Prada 2 ($220. 6m). Sign up to The Business Plus Panel to help shape the business decisions of tomorrow and win vouchers for your opinions!