Former Fat Media agency lead sets up Ireland Consulting

Ian Ireland, former group account director and head of client services at Fat Media has recently launched the integrated marketing consultancy, Ireland Consulting Ltd.

Describing itself as a small but perfectly formed outsourced marketing consultancy, Ireland Consulting aims to assist a select number of clients to better manage their brand and help transform their digital presence.

On the move, Ireland states: "I genuinely believe there is a disconnect between brand and digital. Most communications and brand teams don’t necessarily translate well to digital, and most web agencies regularly forget the brand story and the marketing strategy.

"The number of websites that I have seen fail to adequately convey a brand’s purpose and message is frightening. We often forget that especially with the larger web projects, that being operationally sound is a given to clients and more is expected than a load of page templates thrown together with little thought for the content. Conversely, many creative agencies lack the in-house development capability to deliver a robust and future ready website.

"We as a consultancy hope to bridge that gap, blending strategic marketing consultancy and digital project management expertise to fully deliver your brand across all channels."

Their approach looks to maximise your ROI through access to a network of senior creative and digital professionals, and the utilisation of their own in-house planning, research, copywriting and project management ability. With over 20 years’ experience at some of the north’s leading brand, advertising and digital agencies, Ireland has developed a large network of handpicked creative and digital talent, to supplement his own strategic marketing and digital consultancy skills.

"Our clients benefit from access to leading marketing expertise on a flexible basis and our fully integrated network of partners. Delivering senior agency workmanship at freelancer rates."

For the last 18 months, Ireland has been marketing director at North West Recycling, (a position now retained on a consultancy basis for NWR, the largest private waste management operator in Cumbria), overseeing the repositioning and redevelopment of their brand, and a complete digital transformation including the development of a new ecommerce site (a pioneering first for the sector) www.nwrecycling.co.uk . Within its first four months the site took six figures in skip hire revenue, as well as being nominated for various marketing and design awards.

"The results speak for themselves, as does the process. I was able select the right team of designers, copywriters, developers and digital marketers for the project, and it has worked beautifully. Without question, the most rewarding project of my career, and I look forward to rolling the method out to more clients, and catching up with contacts old and new."

More details can be found at www.irelandconsulting.co.uk