My Journey from Finance to Marketing
-Dermot Breen, Director of Finance & Business Development
Having grown up with a farming background and later studying finance, I never imagined I would find myself in a role that merges people, process, and creativity in a marketing environment.
When I joined Southern in June 2001 as Finance Director, my primary focus was numbers and budgets.
Little did I know that this would mark the beginning of a journey that transformed my role into a hybrid model, bringing together the structured world of finance with the dynamic, creative side of marketing.
Over the years, my role has evolved significantly.
I’ve learned to balance the creative aspects of marketing with the discipline of financial oversight, ensuring that creative teams have the freedom to innovate while keeping an eye on the budget.
Managing creatives can be particularly challenging, especially when introducing them to the concept of budgetary constraints – a concept that often feels foreign to their nature.
Creatives thrive on ideas and exploration, while budgets demand structure and limits.
Through patience and experience, I have developed processes that allow for both: giving creatives the time and space they need to do what they do best while ensuring that we stay within the financial boundaries set by our clients.
These processes ensure that creative ideas are nurtured and explored without losing sight of financial responsibility.
It’s a delicate balancing act that requires not only financial discipline but also a deep understanding of people and how they work.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my role has been managing this balance. By marrying people, process and creativity, I’ve seen first-hand how powerful creative ideas can come to life within well-structured frameworks.
Over time, I’ve found myself engaging in creative thinking as well – something I never expected as someone with a finance background.
This has been a revelation, though, of course, creative ideas in marketing are very different from creative accounting!
My journey has taught me that creativity is not just the domain of designers and marketers.
With the right processes in place, anyone can contribute to innovative solutions.
Today, I see my role as not only a guardian of the financial aspects of the business but also as a facilitator of creativity, helping to shape a collaborative environment where great ideas thrive within structured, sustainable processes.
“At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to delivering exceptional service and building strong, lasting relationships with our clients. Our focus is on ensuring they receive the best possible experience, fostering trust and mutual success.”
Community
Kerry Community Awards
Mary O‘Riordan (Southern Marketing Design Media) presenting Ballyduff Tidy Towns with the Silver award at the 2024 Kerry Community Awards at The Rose Hotel.
The Kerry Community Awards, now in it’s 17th Year, was celebrated at a special event at The Rose Hotel in Tralee last month.
The evening was a celebration of communities and community activists in the county; recognition given to people who generously gave of their time to improve the standard of living of their own communities and the people of the county as a whole.
20 community groups in total were presented with awards on the night with 10 groups receiving gold awards and 10 receiving silver.
Cúnamh Iveragh, based in Cahersiveen, was announced as overall winner at the 2024 Kerry Community Awards.
Cúnamh Iveragh supports children and young adults with intellectual disabilities, as well as their families, providing care in a comfortable setting.
A special award for Best Community Start-Up was also presented to Phoenix Women’s Shed.
Southern are proud sponsors of the Kerry Community Awards.
Health & Wellbeing
Limerick Sports Partnership – Park Life
At Southern, our communications team has had the privilege of partnering with Carlow Tourism’s CLG team for several years. Together, we’ve been promoting the splendour and uniqueness of Carlow through innovative digital and social media campaigns.
Our collaborative efforts highlight one critical factor in any campaign’s success:
A clear and targeted communication strategy.
Our communications team employs a variety of tools and media formats, such as reels, static visuals, engaging videos, and interactive content across multiple social media platforms. By integrating these elements, we craft and communicate a compelling story of Carlow, tailored to each audience.
Culture
Culture Night – Limerick City & County Council
Culture Night is a celebration of local talent, bringing vibrancy and life to our streets as we showcase the energy, creativity, and pride in our artistic community.
This event serves as a reminder of the immense artistic strengths we possess, growing larger and stronger each year.
Our role involved designing and placing content across both traditional and digital media, ensuring that the public is informed and engaged. We created posters, flyers, and digital materials to highlight the variety of events happening nearby, making it easier for people to explore and enjoy the rich cultural experiences on offer.
Healthcare
Fleming Medical
Following the success of the Pool of Adventure national radio campaign in May-June this year, we now move into the final quarter of 2024 with Fleming Medical for Phase 2: Back Garden of Adventure.
This phase broadens the campaign’s reach by incorporating digital audio, digital display and RTE Guide display advertising alongside the ongoing national/regional radio efforts.
Brand awareness remains a key driver for business success, and national & regional radio continues to be one of the most effective ways to reach a wide audience.
By expanding into digital channels, we ensure the message connects with diverse audience segments across both traditional and digital platforms.
Carlow Tourism CLG
A History of Good Food in Carlow
Carlow has long been recognised for its tradition of good food and warm hospitality, a heritage that stretches back decades.
As part of celebrating this legacy, we’ve produced a series of videos to showcase the culinary highlights Carlow has to offer today.
In this first installment we talk about Carlow’s rich agricultural heritage which dates back to the 17th century, with flourishing walled gardens that sustained its grand estates and workers.
A milestone came in 1926 with Ireland’s first sugar factory, further boosting the region’s farming legacy.
In modern times, Carlow’s innovation is exemplified by the Rooster potato, developed at Teagasc in Oak Park, now popular in kitchens across Ireland and beyond. Carlow’s success is also due to its ideal growing conditions, with a favorable climate and fertile soil supporting its commitment to sustainable farming.
Community
Limerick Person of the Month
Southern’s Dave O’Hora presenting the award to John Liddy, with Darren Harding, General Manager of the Clayton Hotel, and Limerick Leader Reporter Abigail Hayden.
The Limerick Person of the Month award is sponsored by the Southern, Limerick Leader and the Clayton Hotel.
Poet John Liddy has been named as Limerick Person of the Month for his decades of work in literature and poetry both in Limerick and abroad.
Now based in Madrid, where he worked for years as a teacher and librarian, John was born in Youghal, County Cork, but grew up in Limerick.
These awards are in recognition of a Limerick person or group who best exemplifies the spirit of Limerick.
Each of the twelve monthly award recipients are celebrated and one is chosen as the Limerick Person of the Year – a representative of all our monthly winners.
Presentations
We help our clients to build effective and engaging presentations, that allow to showcase and discuss complex subjects in a dynamic and accessible way.
