Tony Killeen
Question:777 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the cost to date associated with the new tourism brand for Ireland; and the projected final costs. [15776/96]
Written Answers. - Irish Tourism Brand.
Tony Killeen
Question:778 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the progress, if any, that has been made towards the provision of a tourism brand for Ireland; and the advertising and design agencies involved in this regard. [15777/96]
Tony Killeen
Question:779 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the implications, if any, for the Ireland brand arising from the recent unrest in Northern Ireland. [15778/96]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 777, 778 and 779 together. Bord Fáilte, which is overseeing the creation of a new tourism brand for Ireland has reported that considerable progress is being made on the project. A partnership forum was organised by Bord Fáilte on the 24 October 1995 to give leading figures in the tourism industry an opportunity to hear the results of research carried out in the interim on international consumer perspectives of Ireland and to debate further steps in the development of the brand image. It was agreed that Bord Fáilte would continue, under the aegis of an advisory group led by Bord Fáilte's International Marketing Director, to develop brand positioning proposals and communications strategy.
Peter Owens-DDB Needham, an Irish company affiliated to International Advertising Consultants, has now been selected to undertake the development of the advertising creative for the Ireland brand. Design Works, an Irish company, has been chosen to develop the visual identity/logo. Bord Fáilte envisages that the new creative and design work will be completed during the autumn and that the brand will be ready for launching in our international markets at the end of this year. The recent disturbances in Northern Ireland have not impacted on the development of the brand image. Approximately £250,000 has been expanded to date on the new tourism brand but Bord Fáile is projecting total expenditure of the order £3 million to £5 million on brand development including marketing research, design and image costs etc.