The SMF brings the ‘Love’ back to Marketing in the south east

The launch of the South East Marketing Forum (SMF) took place on Friday, 30 November in the newly renovated Greenway Manor Hotel in Waterford. The SMF is a networking group dedicated to enhancing, developing and innovating the region’s growth through business and marketing.
In attendance was over 100 marketing and business professionals from various industries with each of the five counties represented.
Speaking at the event, Director of RIKON and SMF Founder, Dr Pat Lynch, says ‘For many years marketeers in the region have discussed forming a group as an opportunity to exchange ideas, that day has finally come.”
“We established the SMF to assist companies in growing their business through marketing excellence by sharing ideas, experiences, networking with peers and to gain to access to leaders in marketing,” he explained.
The Forum is open to any person or business involved in marketing in the South East or any person or business who would like to learn more about marketing excellence.
“The aim behind the SMF is to bridge the gap between the counties and the inertia surrounding idea sharing, and to help one another grow both our individual companies and expertise” explains Joe Daly, founding member of the SMF. “We welcome all marketing professionals from those at the beginning of their career to market leaders who would like to share their experience and expertise with others” says Daly.
The driving force behind the SMF are colleagues and marketing professionals in WIT namely lecturers and research centres, RIKON and TSSG, with contributors from industry showing the scope and potential of the SMF.
“The launch today is the beginning of a new chapter for marketeers in the South East,” Lynch continued.
Workshops are scheduled across the South East throughout 2019 with a Gala Ball in May highlighting the unrecognised talent across each of the five counties. The next event takes place in Kilkenny Design Centre, Kilkenny on 13, February 2019. Jenny DeSaulles, Head of Ireland’s Ancient East, will briefly outline methods to develop a tourism or hospitality business through omni-channel marketing. Booking is now open on www.SEMF.ie
The launch would not have been possible without the generous sponsors: Greenway Manor Hotel, Waterford, Causeway Group, Waterford, GK Print, Waterford, Walsh’s Bakehouse, Waterford, Anchor Spirits Ireland, Waterford, Kilkenny Design Centre, Kilkenny, Carlow Brewing Company, Carlow, O’Donnell’s Crisps, Tipperary and Wexford Preserves, Wexford.
For more information on the SMF and how you can get involved visit www.SEMF.ie or contact the Marketing & Events team Danielle Whelan and Deirdre O’Gorman via LinkedIn and use the hashtag #LoveMarketing