How Ruth Guy Cracked the Code to Become 2008’s Most Unstoppable Marketer—And What You Can Learn From Her Game-Changing Strategy
Since 1993, the Marketer of the Year Award has been the gold standard for recognizing Ireland’s creme de la creme in marketing leadership. But here’s a curious thought: what does it really take to not just survive, but to thrive and transform a brand into a household name across a whole nation? Well, grab a coffee, because over the next few weeks, MediaPLUS is set to shine a spotlight on some of the legendary figures who cracked that code—and trust me, their stories are anything but ordinary. Take Ruth Guy, for example, the 2008 winner—a woman who didn’t just raise Barnardos’ profile; she catapulted it from a whisper to a rallying cry for children in need across Ireland. It wasn’t magic. It was strategy, grit, and a masterclass in storytelling that doubled fundraising income and secured a place for Barnardos as the nation’s top children’s charity. If you think marketing’s all about catchy slogans or slick ads, Ruth’s journey is a vivid reminder that at its heart, it’s about empathy, innovation—and sometimes, a dash of bold green paint on shopfronts. Ready to unpack how she and others did it? Let’s dive in. LEARN MORE
Since its launch in 1993, the Marketer of the Year Award has recognised Ireland’s most outstanding marketing leaders. In the weeks ahead, MediaPLUS will spotlight some of the iconic figures in Irish marketing who have had the honour of receiving the industry’s premier award.
Ruth Guy, director of fundraising and marketing at Barnardos, was the winner of the Marketer of the Year award for 2008.
She was honoured for the work she did to position Barnardos as Ireland’s leading children’s charity and majorly grow support income.
The challenge Guy had to overcome at Barnardos was the lack of brand awareness nationwide and a poor understanding of the charity’s ability to raise funds.
Her task was to increase brand awareness – both spontaneous and prompted; heighten the charity’s media profile and raise income.
Key consumer insights driving Guy’s strategy included the need to let Irish people know about the issues around poverty affecting children and families, and to drive empathy for their work. Guy developed new branding and rolled out a series of integrated campaigns.
Brand ambassadors were hired to raise the profile and awareness of Barnardos.
Guy created opportunities to present the charity as the experts in children’s welfare in Ireland. She worked with her advocacy team to ensure consistency in message – ‘We are Barnardos, we are for children’.
Marketing success was measured internally through the in-flow of more funds, while closely monitoring the return on investment. Income more than doubled in the three years to the end of 2007, topping €5m.
The charity’s advertising value of all print media coverage amounted to over €3m.
With a background in marketing and advertising, Guy was well qualified to lead a media push to drive home front-of-mind awareness of Barnardos.
Billboards, bus shelter posters, radio, online and direct mail were used to position the charity and raise public awareness of its work, and the difference it made to children’s wellbeing.
Guy’s responsibilities extended to the charity’s seven shops across the country, each of which provided a valuable source of income and high street presence. Shop interiors and fronts were upgraded to a corporate bright green.
Labels and POS material were redesigned and standardised for use in shop windows to support media activity.
The ‘Barnardos Brand New’ drive was rolled out to tackle the drop in donated goods and the increase in bogus collectors. Retail teams nurtured relations with Irish businesses for donations of brand-new merchandise – like end-of-line stock, sample stock and liquidation goods – for sale at a fraction of the normal cost.
Guy measured campaign awareness and understanding through a national omnibus survey every year as part of the Irish Charity Engagement Monitor (ICEM).
The research found that when it came to spontaneous recall, Barnardos ranked as Ireland’s sixth leading charity and the leading children’s charity in the public mind for the first time ever.
The study showed that unprompted brand awareness grew by just over ten per cent – the biggest increase of any charity in Ireland in the period measured to March 2008. Barnardos was now in fifth place in the national charity league table.
Concern topped the table, followed by UNICEF, ISPCC and Goal. St Vincent de Paul (VdeP), Simon, Sightsavers and Barretstown were next in line.
After working at Barnardos for over 12 years, Guy later took up similar roles at the Childrens Health Foundation and the RDS. She is now director of communications and brand at St Vincent’s Healthcare Group.
The two MotY runners-up in 2008 were Stephen O’Kelly, Carlsberg marketing manager at Diageo and Conor Carmody, marketing director, Meteor Mobile Communications.
Diageo sought to reclaim the high ground from Heineken as Carlsberg drinkers felt they were in the shadow of the Dutch lager.
Meteor signed up its one-millionth customer as it challenged rivals 02 and Vodafone.
dmg media Ireland is a Marketer of the Year™ (MotY) partner. Launched by Marketing.ie in 1993, the award recognises and honours standards of excellence in Irish marketing. The winner is someone who proves that by using strategy, innovation, communications and impact on the target market to the best effect, they make their brand, product or service an outstanding success.
BARK&SPARK Advanced Calming Chews for Dogs - Separation Anxiety Relief for Dogs w/Hemp Oil + Melatonin - Relief During Fireworks, Storms - Aggressive Behavior, Barking, Stress Aid - 90Chews
$15.97 (as of June 30, 2026 02:43 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements Calming Care - Calming Dog Supplements - 30 ct. Boxes
$33.99 (as of June 30, 2026 02:43 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Meifsou Dog Head Wrap - Quiet Ears for Anxiety, Waterproof Dog Calming Hood, No Shake Ear Cover Snoods for Thunder, Lightning, Fireworks, Grooming, Polyester and SBR Diving Fabric, Dark Grey, Large
$19.99 (as of June 30, 2026 02:43 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Apple 2026 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M5 chip: Built for AI, 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD, 12MP Center Stage Camera, Touch ID, Wi-Fi 7; Midnight
(as of June 30, 2026 02:54 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Post Comment