Backup Marketing

What Backup Marketing does

Backup Marketing is an Irish experiential, event, and shopper marketing agency founded in 1993 and headquartered in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin. The firm operates with a 25-person in-house team spanning account management, research, strategy, design, production, content development, and digital/social media, and is independently owned by working directors. Its service portfolio is organised into three core practices: Experiential Marketing (brand activations, roadshows, sponsorship activation, product launches, exhibitions), Event Marketing (live, virtual, and hybrid events spanning conferences, award ceremonies, festivals, fundraisers, and product launches), and Shopper Marketing (product sampling, demonstrations, in-store activation, and retail insights). A proprietary asset is the InHand online sampling platform, which allows consumers to order product samples seen in advertising and delivers a documented 6x redemption rate versus industry standards.

The firm generates revenue primarily through professional service fees for campaign conceptualisation, design, production, and execution on a project basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed and engagements are negotiated directly with enterprise clients. Backup Marketing targets consumer goods brands (Unilever, Nestlé, Lavazza), major retailers (Tesco Ireland, SuperValu), pharmaceutical distributors (McKesson Ireland, PHX Ireland), corporate/enterprise clients (NetApp), and government/public sector bodies (Local Enterprise Offices, Re-Turn), alongside charity and non-profit organisations. The company delivers campaigns across Ireland with no stated geographic expansion beyond the domestic market. Quantified outcomes include 387% average sales uplift for Lavazza brand ambassador campaigns, 33% iced-coffee multiserve market share captured within seven weeks for Nescafé, 200%+ sales increase on Benecol roadshows, and over €4 million raised for charities across 50+ gala fundraisers over the past decade. Operating since 1993 with no external funding, M&A activity, or parent company, Backup Marketing presents as a stable, privately-held mid-sized marketing services firm whose competitive position rests on long-tenured enterprise relationships, in-house multidisciplinary capability, and a portfolio of measurable campaign outcomes rather than technology differentiation.

Name

Backup Marketing

Legal name

Backup Marketing

Website

https://backupmarketing.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Backup Marketing is an Irish experiential, event, and shopper marketing agency founded in 1993, serving enterprise clients including Tesco Ireland, Unilever, Nestlé, McKesson, and Irish government bodies with brand activations, live and virtual events, and product sampling through its proprietary InHand platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Lead Distribution, CRM/MarTech Integration & Sync (THAHAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Couponing, Rebates & Cash-Back Promotions (BPAFAMAI)

Keywords

• Experiential marketing services
• Event management
• Shopper marketing
• Brand activation
• Product sampling

Headquarters

HQ city

Dún Laoghaire

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Experiential Marketing Services: Full-service experiential marketing campaigns including brand activations, roadshows, sponsorship activation, product launches, and exhibitions. Revenue generated through professional service fees for campaign conceptualization, design, production, and execution.
2. Event Marketing Services: End-to-end event management including award ceremonies, conferences, exhibitions, festivals, fundraisers, product launches and trade fairs. Services span concept, design, staging, guest engagement, branding, sponsorship management, content creation, and ticketing.
3. Shopper Marketing Services: Product sampling, demonstrations, in-store displays and activation, category and portfolio management, and retail insights. Includes the InHand online sampling platform.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Backup Marketing is an Irish experiential, event and shopper marketing agency that plans and executes brand activations, roadshows, product launches, conferences, festivals, fundraisers, in-store sampling and corporate recognition programmes for enterprise clients. Its offering spans concept, strategy, design, production, content creation, digital and social media, and on-site delivery, complemented by the proprietary InHand online sampling platform that links advertising exposure to product trial.

Product overview

Backup Marketing is an award-winning experiential, event, and shopper marketing agency offering a full-service portfolio. The core offerings include Experiential Marketing (brand activations, roadshows, sponsorship activation, product launches), Event Marketing (live, virtual, and hybrid events including conferences, award ceremonies, festivals, and fundraisers), and Shopper Marketing (product sampling, demonstrations, and in-store activation). Their proprietary InHand online sampling platform enables brands to deliver product samples directly to consumers who have seen their advertising, closing the gap between awareness and trial. The agency works across the full end-to-end process from concept and design through to staging, content creation, and digital/social media management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Experiential Marketing Services Creative brand activations and roadshows that create real and visceral experiences for consumers, including sponsorship activation, product launches and exhibitions for enterprise clients such as Tesco, Unilever, Nestlé, Lavazza and Benecol.
• Event Marketing Services End-to-end event management covering live, virtual and hybrid formats including award ceremonies, brand activations, conferences, exhibitions, festivals, fundraisers, product launches and trade fairs for enterprise clients, charities and government bodies.
• Shopper Marketing Services Services that remove obstacles for shoppers, including product sampling, product demonstrations, in-store display and activation, category and portfolio management, and retail insights and data capture for brand and retail clients.
• InHand Online Sampling Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% iced coffee multiserve market share within 7 weeks for Nescafé launch
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• V-FairscoreTechnology or IntegrationVirtual event platform partner used to deliver the LEO Virtual Jobs Fair. Backup designed the virtual experience using the V-Fairs platform, creating a virtual auditorium with keynote addresses and virtual exhibition booths for over 30 companies.
• BBHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative agency partner on Tesco 'Become More Christmas' campaign. Worked alongside Backup's experiential activation as part of Tesco's inter-agency marketing team.
• MindshareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia agency partner on Tesco 'Become More Christmas' campaign. Collaborated with Backup on campaign planning and media amplification.
• Irish Grocery Benevolent FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnd-to-end event management partner for Stocked Festival, the first bespoke charity music festival for the Irish grocery industry. Managed full event from concept, design, brand identity through to production, marketing and sales.
• Tesco IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary retail partner for multiple campaigns including Tesco Baby Event, Tesco's Got Talent awards, Fire Pit BBQ experience, and online sampling programs. Long-standing client relationship.
• Unilever IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsumer goods partner for multiple campaigns including Sure Shot Challenge (GAA sponsorship), Lynx Ice Chill launch, and various product sampling initiatives.
• McKesson IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare company partner for corporate identity launch (United Drug and Lloyds Pharmacy), People Leaders Conference, and Recognition Awards. Working across 1,800 colleagues, 84 pharmacies and 5 distribution centres.
• All Together Now FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFestival partner for Global Solidarity Hub. Evaluated over 70 Irish festivals to identify ideal platform for charity engagement, resulting in partnership to create dedicated hub engaging 25,000+ attendees.
• DóchascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIrish Association of Non-Governmental Development Organisations partner for Global Solidarity Hub, engaging festival-goers on global social justice issues.
• GOALcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational humanitarian agency partner for Global Solidarity Hub at All Together Now Festival.
• TrócairecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIrish charity partner for Global Solidarity Hub. Praised Backup for professionalism, attention to detail, and passion for their mission.
• SightsaverscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational charity partner for Global Solidarity Hub at All Together Now Festival.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RPM Promotional Marketing (RPM): RPM is a UK/European promotional and shopper marketing agency delivering sampling, retail activations and trade marketing for consumer brands. Directly comparable to Backup's shopper marketing, sampling and InHand capabilities.
• MKG Experience: MKG is a US-based experiential marketing agency delivering brand activations, events and shopper marketing for global brands. Directly comparable to Backup Marketing across experiential campaign design, production and on-the-ground activation.
• Momentum Worldwide: Momentum is a global shopper marketing and experiential agency within the IPG network. Closely aligned with Backup Marketing's shopper marketing, sampling and in-store activation offering alongside broader experiential work.
• George P. Johnson (GPJ): GPJ is a large global experience marketing agency operating across events, exhibits and brand activations for enterprise clients. Overlaps directly with Backup Marketing's experiential, event and sponsorship activation work, but at much larger scale.
• Jack Morton Worldwide: Jack Morton is a global brand experience agency producing live events, virtual/hybrid events, and brand activations. Highly comparable to Backup Marketing on event management, brand experiences and the virtual/hybrid capabilities Backup demonstrated with Tesco's Got Talent.
• Amplify: Amplify is a UK-based experiential marketing agency building brand experiences, sampling campaigns and shopper activations for global brands. Comparable to Backup Marketing's InHand-driven sampling approach and Tesco/Lavazza-style product demonstration work.
• Sparks: Sparks is a global shopper and experiential marketing agency (Cheil Network) focused on retail activations, sampling and brand experiences. Closely matches Backup Marketing's shopper marketing and InHand sampling offering.
• CSM Sport & Entertainment: CSM is a global agency focused on sport and entertainment sponsorships and experiential activations. Comparable on sponsorship activation (analogous to Backup's GAA work for Sure) and large-scale brand experience delivery.
• Octagon: Octagon is a global experiential and sponsorship agency, including sponsorship activation work for Unilever (Sure Shot Challenge GAA work is a direct local analogue). Direct peer for sponsorship-led experiential campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• Iris Worldwide: Iris is a global creative and marketing network with an experiential and activation practice serving multinational brands. A broader incumbent that overlaps with Backup Marketing across experiential and digital/social campaign delivery but operates a wider portfolio of services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/backupmktg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/backupmktg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Backup Marketing