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Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Anthem Vinyl offering 'interesting new approach' to vinyl pressing for artists
Newly launched Anthem Vinyl, Ireland's only vinyl pressing plant, are offering an 'interesting new approach' to vinyl pressing for Irish artists. Born out of a shared love for vinyl and a deep respect for its craft, Anthem Vinyl was founded in 2024 by a team of passionate music industry and business professionals. Located just 30 minutes from Dublin, in Clane, County Kildare, the new pressing plant is embracing new technology, sustainability, and accessibility, ensuring that artists and fans can experience vinyl at its best. 'Obviously, a lot of Irish artists would be keen to have their physical music produced here in Ireland,' Anthem Vinyl founder Brian Kenny told the Irish Mirror. 'It's also very accessible, they can come here, visit the plant. We offer that anyone who's getting records pressed can come in and see it getting pressed, shoot some social content. 'We're building out a media room here where, if they want to shoot their own social media content in the room, listen to it on the Hi Fi, and sign copies of it.' Brian says by pressing locally in Ireland, clients benefit from faster lead times and lower shipping costs thanks to Ireland's unique position within the EU. 'It's that unique access that we have to the global market. Even though we will do everything we can to support Irish acts, we don't want to create the impression we're only supporting Irish acts either.' 'Because the Irish industry is not big enough to sustain this business or any pressing plant,' he added. 'It's probably mostly led by artists not having to go far afield, Irish in particular, to get their pressings. 'But we also think we can tick a box for UK and European-based artists to get their product out to the States in particular, or UK artists to get their products into mainland Europe.' With the addition of traditional pressing services, Anthem has also introduced Smart Vinyl, a forward-thinking innovation that pairs physical records with the digital world. 'It's a very early product. Declan O'Rourke's album was done; he's an early adopter of it,' he shared. 'It gives a great new level of engagement between an artist and a fan. That they have this content that's utterly unique to that particular album, that they bought that vinyl record. 'Then the artist, in turn, can have visibility of fans that are buying records and binder releases. And there's opportunities there for early concert ticket access or early new release access to fans that are showing loyalties to them. It's a very interesting kind of new approach to it.'
Irish Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Full circle: vinyl and printed books make a comeback as young people seek refuge from digital burnout
Older generations will remember the excitement of saving for and buying a brand new vinyl record and the crackle of the sound as it plays. The advent of modern technology has meant records and cassette tapes have been cast aside in favour of CDs and music streaming apps such as Spotify. But old-school entertainment is making a comeback. Interest in vinyl has soared in recent years; figures compiled for the Irish record industry show sales topping almost 400,000 units a year. The demand has led to a brand new vinyl-pressing facility, the only one of its kind in Ireland, to open in Clane, Co Kildare. READ MORE 'Vinyl is more than just music, it's a deeply personal experience – the sound of the memories and moments which define us,' says the facility's founder, Brian Kenny. 'There's something magical about lowering the needle and hearing the warm crackle before a note is even played. That ritual of taking a record out, admiring the artwork and reading the liner notes – it's all part of the connection.' He believes that, for many music lovers, vinyl is 'the soundtrack to their lives, with history and identity being passed down through generations'. 'The physical link to music is powerful. No stream or download can replicate it,' he says. [ The vinyl revival holds the prospect of an unappealing future Opens in new window ] It's not just records that are enjoying a resurgence. Books are also becoming increasingly popular with data from market research firm Nielsen BookData showing that Gen Z – those born in the late 1990s and early 2000s – are turning to the books their parents and grandparents enjoyed. Printed books accounted for 80 per cent of book purchases for the year to November 2022. Vinny Browne, buyer for Charlie Byrne's Bookshop in Galway, says that although CDs, DVDs and printed photographs are in danger of becoming obsolete due to streaming platforms and online galleries, the same cannot be said of the printed word. 'Firstly, for any technology to replace an existing one, it has to be better, and the ebook is not a better product than the traditional book,' he says. 'Also, the book has been central to our cultural life for a few thousand years, so is hard-wired into our brains as a means of communication – and people are less willing to give it up as a result.' Browne says 75-80 per cent of all books published in the world are physical books. This statistic 'would have surprised many who were forecasting the end of physical publications 25 or 30 years ago', he says. But, conversely, advances in technology have also helped to maintain the popularity of print books. Vinny Browne, buyer for Charlie Byrne's Bookshop in Galway 'Books are very successful on social media and the industry is very adept at getting its message out to the public,' he says. Browne points to popularity of BookTok where social media users talk about books on the TikTok video-sharing platform. There, readers can 'turn a forgotten or neglected title into a bestselling sensation by merely shining a light on it'. A book can be 'a machine for consuming vicarious experience, be it travel, time travel or immersion in the lives of others', he says. Psychologist Dr Malie Coyne says she is not surprised to hear that people are turning to books and records for entertainment as it is a means of escape from the fast-paced world we are living in. 'Society is suffering somewhat from burnout in a constantly busy world,' she says. 'Digital media is always changing, with new feeds and information, and we can become overstimulated by the sheer volume of what is around us.' Older formats of entertainment 'allow us to slow down' and buying a vinyl record or a book 'allows us to be more intentional about where we direct our attention – and many of us are craving that'. 'Buying a record used to be the biggest deal – you would save your money up and it was something so precious. So there is a longing for when life felt simpler,' she says. [ The next generation discovering the joys of vinyl: 'I like all older things, old movies, old music' Opens in new window ] Dr Coyne says the appeal of vinyl and print books also lies in their tangibility. 'When we touch things, it engages our senses,' she says. 'I was recently given a vinyl from one of my friends and even though I don't even have a record player, with its beautiful cover and printed lyrics, it feels like a treasure and is so grounding. The same goes for books – their gorgeous smell and the feel of turning the pages.' She says this all provides 'a moment of pause and helps us to feel grounded – to drown out the noise of the world and bring us back to a simpler time'. Sensual sentiment and positive mental health are not the only benefits of buying books and records; it also helps to keep native industry alive. Kenny says that his vinyl-press facility means artists and labels do not need to look overseas, which can be costly and time-consuming. Kenny says 'in a world of skip buttons and digital overload', vinyl 'reminds us to slow down, to listen properly, to appreciate the art. 'That's why it still matters,' he says.
Harvard Business Review
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Harvard Business Review
Mattel's Barbie Playbook: Replicating Success Across the Company's Portfolio
The 2023 movie Barbie and its accompanying marketing blitz incited a worldwide craze. Suddenly Barbie was everywhere, a celebrated icon reinstated at the forefront of cultural conversation. This flourishing of goodwill stood in contrast to decades of criticism of the Barbie brand. Although proponents had celebrated Barbie for her promise to 'inspire the limitless potential in every girl,' detractors felt that the doll promoted a narrow beauty standard and perpetuated gender stereotypes. In this episode of Cold Call, Harvard Business School Professor Elie Ofek and coauthor and doctoral student Ryann Noe join host Brian Kenny to discuss the case ' Barbie: Reviving a Cultural Icon at Mattel.' They explore how Mattel planned to sustain the Barbie brand's positive momentum and replicate the doll's success across other toy brands in the company's portfolio.
Irish Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Anthem Vinyl launches 'state of the art' record manufacturing facility
Anthem Vinyl, Ireland's only vinyl pressing plant, has announced the official opening of its new sophisticated manufacturing facility in Kildare. Born out of a shared love for vinyl and a deep respect for its craft, Anthem Vinyl was founded in 2024 by a team of passionate music industry and business professionals. Located just 30 minutes from Dublin, in Clane, County Kildare, Anthem aims to honour the rich legacy of vinyl, while embracing new technology, sustainability, and accessibility, ensuring that artists and fans can experience vinyl at its best. 'This isn't just a manufacturing facility—it's a commitment to all genres of music, creativity, and sustainability,' said company founder, Brian Kenny. 'New, Irish artists and labels can press their records right here at home, avoiding costly overseas shipping, import duties, and long lead times. We're excited to be building a sustainable legacy, while delivering world-class vinyl for artists and fans worldwide.' With the addition of traditional pressing services, Anthem are also introducing Smart Vinyl, a forward-thinking innovation that pairs physical records with the digital world. Each Smart Vinyl pressing has some form of embedded technology, be it NFC chips or QR code-enabled packaging, that allows fans to obtain additional downloadable content and other interactive elements directly from their vinyl purchase. For independent record shops, major retailers, and international distributors, Anthem Vinyl also offers a powerful market advantage. By pressing locally in Ireland, clients benefit from faster lead times, lower shipping costs, and seamless, hassle-free fulfilment, thanks to our unique position within the EU and proximity to the UK means Anthem can deliver high-quality vinyl efficiently across Ireland, Britain, Europe, and beyond. At the heart of Anthem Vinyl's operations is an impressive eco-friendly commitment to sustainability. Their facility proudly practices energy efficiency, responsible material sourcing, waste reduction, and continuous environmental improvement. Anthem Vinyl is now open Anthem also recycles 100 per cent of our waste PVC and is implementing processes to reuse up to 100 per cent of our in-use 'flash' material. 'While the world faces sustainability challenges, we are taking deliberate steps to ensure our operations are efficient and responsible,' added Kenny. 'Our goal is to deliver beautiful vinyl records that preserve the integrity of the music, while respecting the planet.' 'We continue to work alongside experts in sustainability, and use innovative methods to further mitigate the carbon footprint for vinyl manufacturing. 'We are deliberate in taking purposeful actions while the world is filled with sustainability problems,' Kenny added. 'Our intent is to create beautiful vinyl records, with every effort'. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
