COFFEY

GAVIN

Digital, Experiential, and Sponsorship Marketing Specialist

ABOUT ME

A marketing specialist with 14 years of senior experience working in top digital & social media, PR, sponsorship, eCommerce, and experiential marketing agencies with accelerated growth and revenue targets.

I have created and implemented award-winning marketing campaigns for some of the world's most recognisable brands including Samsung, Heineken, Vodafone, Three, Coca-Cola, adidas, AIG, Renault, Audi, Mitsubishi, AvalonKing, and Under Armour, with an awarded expertise in digital activation.

I have a wide and varied skillset which I’ve acquired overseeing the creation and implementation of marketing strategy and execution while managing teams across performance, UX, design, advertising, influencer & media relations, eCommerce, sponsorship, events & experiential, content creation, finance, and product production.

CURRENT ROLE…

MANAGING DIRECTOR - CIRCULATE

(Sept 2023 - current)

Circulate is a creative marketing agency specialising in music and brand marketing. We have a large roster of international clients and renowned partners working with innovative brands, events, artists, and labels across the world. Our clients often have very tangible dreams of bringing new ideas to market and disrupting their chosen industries, but may also have a more abstract sense of their brands’ images and stories. We get that, and that’s where we help out: our mission is to connect that dream with those who experience it first-hand or through their devices.

Our primary offering includes:

  • Digital Strategy: driving measurable ROI, ROAS, and SOV for brands, artists, locations and labels alike.

  • Social Media: strategy, management, advertising, content creation, and execution.

  • Creative: supercharge your content, branding, and creative storytelling.

  • Partner Network: We know the landscape better than most

  • Digital Advertising; maximising your results through innovative thinking and in-depth data analysis.

  • Training, Consultancy, and Management

  • Live Streaming & Podcasting

My responsibilities include, but are not limited to;

  • Agency leadership - planning, team structure, hiring, vision and roadmap to success supported by decision making and maintaining high standards

  • Team management - across client services, creative, and performance

  • Finance - general maintenance of cashflow, forecasting, profitability and growth

  • Relationship building - new, existing, and prospective clients relationship management

  • Client support - positioning, strategy, and execution of campaigns

  • Marketing - driving awareness of the agency, our services, team, and ‘best-in-class’ client activity

PREVIOUS ROLE…

BUSINESS DIRECTOR - FIFTY-THREE SIX

(Feb 2023 - Sep 2023)

Fifty-Three Six is a full service, multi-award winning Sports Marketing Agency. We specialise in performance marketing, digital strategy and content production. We work with the likes of the FAI, Racing TV, bet365, eir, IRFU, Munster Rugby, Cricket Ireland, RugbyPass, AIB, Lidl, BWG, Badminton Ireland and many more.

My responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Overall responsibility for servicing and growing key clients

  • Driving the strategy of the digital and media team

  • Directing the account team, creatives, media strategy & analytics

  • Building relationships at a leadership level with our partners & clients

  • Overseeing all the work that we are doing for key clients, ensuring everything is running smoothly -- to time and budget while maintaining the highest standards

  • Driving overall client digital strategies from organic to paid campaigns
    Identifying new business opportunities and agency growth

  • Working closely with our in-house production team

  • Developing and refining processes and procedures to make us operate at maximum efficiency

  • Strategically considering market trends and help to shape our digital offering accordingly

PREVIOUS ROLE…

HEAD OF MARKETING (GLOBAL) - AVALONKING

Nov 2020 - Feb 2023 (2yrs 4mnths)

AvalonKing is a fast-paced start-up that specializes in DTC car-care products for DIYers. Our hero product Armor Shield IX gained genuine fan status and shifted over $12m worth of products in the last two years. In my role at AvalonKing I led a team of thirteen and was responsible for the success of the brand in terms of revenue, brand awareness, creative, share of voice, and all marketing comms be it through social media, influencer, email, advertising, PR, or sponsorship. It is a data-driven business with all key decisions based on analysis of our platforms and key data-points in our eco-system.

Skills/Responsibilities:

  • Strategy: Planning, forecasting, production timelines, marketing and eCommerce timelines, campaign project management, sales windows, CPAs.

  • Creative: Project management, direction, briefing in suppliers/contractors, talent, storyboarding, graphic design, videography, photography

  • Comms: Media relations, social media management, copywriting, content creation, influencer campaign creation, media partners, email marketing, and sponsorships.

  • Finance: Managing an annual marketing budget >$1m

  • Product Development: Supply chain timelines, cost of goods delivered, new product design, and packaging development.

  • Activation: Audience insights, data analysis, publication, UX/UI testing, eCommerce execution and sales, web development

  • Advertising: paid social media promotion, adwords management, influencer activation

  • Team Management: managing and mentoring direct reports in campaigns management, influencer, customer care, production, wed development, and creative.

PREVIOUS ROLES…

GLOBAL DIGITAL DIRECTOR - BECAUSEXM / HONEY+BUZZ

(Jan 2018 - Nov 2020)

In my role at BecauseXM the global experiential marketing agency, I was responsible for the strategy, creative and digital amplification for all our clients’ digital & experiential activity across agencies in Dublin, London, New York, Dubai, Singapore & Melbourne. My client list included Sony Columbia Records, Heineken, Dyson, Adidas and Logic.

The Dublin agency rebranded to Honey+Buzz and I was responsible for directing the agency’s digital outputs, overseeing a team of 5 (Creatives, AM and AE). I led marketing communications for the agency including regularly contributing thought leadership articles to IMJ, Marketing Magazine, and the company blog. While there I worked on several international sponsorship and brand campaigns with data-based content and activation built around consumer trends, needs, and behaviours, on brands such as Dyson, Fulfil Nutrition, 53 Degrees North, Cult Drinks, Logic, and Pizza Hut.

Skills/Responsibilities:

  • Strategy: Planning, campaign project management, CPAs.

  • Creative: Project management, direction, briefing, storyboarding, graphic design, videography, photography

  • Comms: Media relations, social media management, copywriting, content creation, influencer campaign creation, thought leadership articles.

  • Finance: Managing agency marketing budget, client retainers and client advertising budgets

  • Activation: Audience insights, data analysis, publication, UX/UI testing, eCommerce execution and sales, web development

  • Advertising: paid social media promotion, adwords management, influencer activation and contracts management.

  • Team Management: managing and mentoring direct reports in campaigns management, influencer, production, web development, and creative.

  • Business Development: client services, new business pitching, agency marketing, presentations and mentoring

DIRECTOR (DIGITAL & SPONSORSHIP ACTIVATION) - TENEO

(Oct 2013 - Oct 2017)

As a senior director in the digital marketing and sponsorship side of the agency, I led a team that helped Vodafone launch its biggest-ever sponsorship activation, announcing the #TeamOfUs with Irish Rugby. I picked up the Social Media Awards Grand Prix for Dublin Zoo and over the course of three years grew the accounts from 40k fans to well over 200k without any advertising spend. As a not-for-profit organisation, Dublin Zoo relies heavily on footfall, and I’m proud to say it surpassed the 1m visitors mark every year I worked on the account with YoY growth. I also created strategies, content, and results-driven campaigns for AIG, SEAT, Under Armour, Leinster Rugby, and Life Style Sports, picking up 11 recognised awards along the way.

Skills/Responsibilities:

  • Actively seeking new business and revenue opportunities

  • The organisation/management of junior team members, their roles and direction of company assets

  • The creation and implementation of a clear and sustainable business plan

  • Management of relationships with retained and prospective clients

  • Strategic and creative planning of communications and social media for clients

  • Pitching our company, its capabilities and talent to prospective clients

  • Maintaining an honest and hard-working ethic within the agency

  • Maintaining an enjoyable working environment that benefits all staff

  • Upholding the high standards accepted by Teneo in personal and company profile

  • Developing and implementing award-winning campaigns on behalf of our clients

  • Creating and implementing digital-led strategies for a number of clients across a wide range of consumer, corporate, health, and sports/sponsorship brands.

SENIOR PR EXECUTIVE (DIGITAL & SPONSORSHIP) - THINKHOUSE

(Feb 2010 - Oct 2013)

As senior PR & Digital Exec in the youth communications agency I was charged with managing media relations, digital strategy, content creation and event production for our consumer and sponsorship clients. Key clients such as Heineken Ireland managing all comms activity for festivals, music, sports, and brand campaigns including Heineken Cup Rugby, UEFA Champions League, Oxegen, Electric Picnic, Body & Soul, and Heineken’s own Green Spheres series of shows and events across Ireland. I also managed media and online communications for Three (sports & sponsorships), Ben & Jerry’s Ireland, Heineken portfolio (Coors Light, Paulaner, Tiger & Desperados), Lynx, Sure4men, and Dove Men+Care.

Skills/Responsibilities:

  • Strategy: Planning and campaign project management for both PR and online activity.

  • Creative: social media content creation; imagery, video, photography, and graphic design

  • Comms: Media relations, press release writing, social media, copywriting, content creation, influencer campaign creation, event management.

  • PR/Activation: event management, press launches, influencer activation, media drops, and sponsorship stakeholder comms.

  • Advertising: paid social media promotion

AWARD WINS:

  • 3 x Social Media Awards 2015 (including the Grand Prix) - Dublin Zoo

  • All Ireland Marketing Award 2015 - Dublin Zoo

  • Irish Sponsorship Award 2015 - AIG Ireland (Best Team Sponsorship Dublin GAA)

  • Irish Sponsorship Award 2015 - PSG (Best Agency)

  • PRCA 2016 - Durex Ireland (Best Consumer Campaign)

  • Irish Sponsorship Award 2016 - Vodafone #TeamOfUs (Best Social Media)

  • Irish Sponsorship Award 2016 - Vodafone (Best Sponsorship Brand)

  • Irish Sponsorship Awards 2016 - Teneo (Best Agency)

  • Irish Sponsorship Awards 2017 - AIG Ireland (Best Sponsorship Brand)

  • PRCA 2017 - AIG Ireland (Best Use of Sponsorship)

  • APMC Awards 2019 - 53Degrees North (Best Use of Experiential)

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

  • Brand Campaign Management – my expertise in marketing sponsorship and brand campaigns extends across tech, alcohol, music, sport, telecoms, energy, FMCG, corporate, and finance. Managing comms, PR, content creation, events, and activations for household names and challenger brands alike.

  • Business Development - Nurturing existing client relationships, spotting opportunities for growth, and pitching new business, have been central to all my senior roles. I am laser-focused when analysing our own systems and procedures to find and fix inefficiencies while maintaining the highest standard of work delivered

  • Digital & Social Media Strategy and Content – I was a senior director in Teneo Digital for over four years, running an agency of 12 copywriters, graphic designers, creatives, and planners, winning 11 recognised social media awards for content creation and brand activation in my time there. I continued in this sector with BecauseXm, creating digital strategies and content to amplify our brand campaigns and experiences.

  • Data & Analytics – Collating, interpreting, and developing insights based on research and data analysis is the basis for nearly all of my campaign propositions. I am adept at reading and analysing data to ensure campaign strategies are based on solid information, paramount to success.

  • Creative: I have spent my career generating premium quality content and creative in everything from social media, photography, print, videography, graphic design, packaging, audio, and OOH for TTL campaigns.

  • Sponsorship & Influencer Marketing – I have created and managed sponsorship activations for Heineken, Three, Vodafone, AIG, Under Armour, Canterbury, FAI, Leinster, and the IRFU with an awarded expertise in digital amplification and creative production. I have been at the cutting edge of influencer marketing with structured deliverables and metrics for tangible, measurable success for our clients.

  • eCommerce - As the Head of Marketing at AvalonKing I gained valuable insights into the management of a DTC eCommerce brand, where I directed everything from supply chain timelines, sales windows, seasonal campaigns, product development, pricing, finance, influencer, web design, UX, email marketing, and every other aspect of the consumer purchase journey.

  • PR – a deep knowledge of the brand marketing and PR landscape with excellent written and oral communication skills – I’ve been writing content, copy, and press releases for some of the biggest brands in Ireland for over 12 years as well as managing press events and launches.

  • Tech – I have utilised innovative tech, AI, blockchain, data capture, consumer journey, VR, AR, and activations that get people talking about my client’s brands, events, and campaigns.

  • Finance – As a senior director I am responsible for the creation and moderation of our own marketing budget and business P&L but also the management of client marketing and advertising budgets, with controlled execution to ensure maximum ROI

  • Reputation Management – From my early days in PR to now, I am adept at crisis comms strategy and implementation.

CLIENT LIST/BRANDS:

In alphabetical order:

  • 53 Degrees North

  • adidas

  • AIG

  • Audi

  • AvalonKing

  • Badminton Ireland

  • Barry’s Tea

  • Ben & Jerry’s

  • Berocca

  • Bombay Pantry

  • Canterbury

  • Charities Institute of Ireland

  • Coca-Cola

  • Coors Light

  • Cricket Ireland

  • Cult Drinks (Fat Frog / Piranha)

  • Desperados

  • Diet Coke

  • Dove Men+Care

  • Dublin Zoo

  • Durex Ireland

  • eir

  • FAI

  • FemFuelz

  • Franciscan Well

  • Fyffes

  • Heineken Ireland

  • Imperial Tobacco

  • IRFU

  • Irish Open

  • Johnstown Estate The Spa

  • Kinetica

  • Leinster Rugby

  • Life Style Sports

  • Lipton Teas

  • Logic

  • Lynx

  • Lyon’s Tea

  • Mace

  • One4all

  • Mitsubishi Motors Ireland

  • Milanos

  • Movember

  • Munster Rugby

  • One4all

  • Paulaner

  • Pizza Hut

  • PWC

  • RacingTV

  • RugbyPass

  • SEAT Ireland

  • Sony Columbia Records

  • Sure4men

  • Teeling Whiskey

  • Three Ireland

  • Tiger

  • Topaz Energy

  • Under Armor

  • Vodafone Ireland

HOW CAN I HELP?

HOW CAN I HELP?