Meet the Best Use of Creative Marketing finalists – West Cork Business & Tourism Awards 2023

The West Cork Business & Tourism Awards take place this Friday, February 2nd, at The West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen. Brought to you by The Southern Star, in association with Carbery, the awards celebrate the best of West Cork business and tourism.

Meet the finalists in the Best Medium/Large Business category, sponsored by Masterkabin, below.

Casey's Bar and Restaurant – Sustainability and inclusivity to the forefront

Katie Shanahan; James Casey and Ciara O’Shea of Caseys Bar & Restaurant, Clonakilty. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

GOING the extra mile for the community, customers and climate is at the core of Casey’s Bar and Restaurant in Clonakilty.

James Casey has run the business on the town’s Pearse Street for the past nine years, during which time it has earned the title ‘Best Irish Local Pub’ at the VFI Irish Pub Awards.

Top-class entertainment is always on the menu at this establishment and despite the tough conditions faced by the hospitality sector in recent years they have continued to provide live entertainment three to four nights a week. However, sustainability and inclusivity are also important facets of the business.

‘We’re committed to sustainability, having candlelit music sessions to reduce power consumption and utilising gun-operated soft drink systems to minimise waste,’ said James.

Being connected to the community is also very important to the team at Caseys.

‘Whether it’s fundraisers for local causes such as a recent event where 50% of profits went to the Rapid Response Unit, free Christmas dinners for those in need, or accommodating foreign tour groups for afternoon tea, we contribute meaningfully to the community, fostering a sense of belonging and warmth and welcoming everyone with a smile,’ said James.

Commitment to inclusivity is showcased, he said, through thoughtfully designed spaces in the pub, tailored for individuals with specific needs such as autism.

‘We create a serene environment by adjusting lighting and music, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience for everyone,’ added James.

James and his team of 24 also take an interactive approach when it comes to customer engagement.

‘Through our innovative business cards attached to the bill, adorned with a QR code, we invite patrons to share their experiences and suggestions seamlessly on our social media channels and TripAdvisor. This open line of communication enables us to continuously enhance our offerings based on valuable feedback, making each visit better than the last.’

Sharon Huggard, Style & Body Confidence Coach – Helping women to realise their full potential

Sharon Huggard, Style & Body Confidence Coach. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

SHARON Huggard is driven to helping women all over the country, and globally, to realise their self-worth.

The Innishannon-based style and body confidence coach works with women who ‘are hiding and holding themselves back, to elevate how they dress, think and feel so they can live the life they desire and deserve, creating impact and knowing they are enough.’

She founded the business four years ago and her mission is to support women with her qualifications as a fashion stylist, life coach, body confidence coach and NLP/ Quantum Thinking Transformation (QTT) Practitioner.

‘In a recent study 91% of women reported they were unhappy with their bodies. Nearly 70% of women report withdrawing from activities due to their body confidence. Through my work helping hundreds of women it was evident that so many were hiding and holding themselves back due to poor body confidence,’ she said.

That was the catalyst for Sharon to create The Worthy Woman Academy and her international campaign called #getinthepicture.

‘I invited women on International Photography Day, 17th August 2022 and again in 2023 to get in thepicture as they were, knowing they were enough. It is time to stop erasing history. I am proclaiming enough is enough,’ said the mum-of-three.

The campaign resonated hugely with women, and Sharon did it on a budget of less than €100, while rearing three teenagers, servicing her existing clients and growing her business.

‘There is no marketing team, no virtual assistant, no external support or funding, no budget but what there is, is a woman with a big dream who is on a mission,’ she said.

‘Body confidence has taken a hammering, thanks to Covid-19, societal views, social media, but I am determined to emancipate as many women as I can. My legacy will be that women, their daughters, and their daughters deserve to feel worthy, valued now not deferring their dreams until they look a certain way,’ Sharon declared.

Celtic Knot Events – Trust and reliability are vital to great event planning

Sharon Thomas of Celtic Knot Events. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

SOURCING local, but with an international reach is at the heart of Bantry-based creative wedding and event planning business Celtic Knot Events.

Set up by Sharon Thomas, the business specialises in creative style weddings including outdoor weddings where the venue is built from the ground up using tipis, marquees, stretch tents, flooring, staging, lighting, sound engineering equipment and furniture.

‘Much like a mini festival, a lot of work is involved to bring an event like this together,’ said Sharon who has run the business for three years.

‘Many of our clients are overseas based so it is very important to us that we provide them with premium quality events and seamless planning. We bring their vision to life, so they have nothing to worry about.’

Key to delivering that impeccable service is working with local suppliers right across the board from the wedding suppliers to the food producers.

‘We also organise ticketed events such as mindfulness and health and fitness events, with many more exciting events to come,’ said Sharon.

Creative marketing is very much to the fore at Celtic Knot events Sharon explains, as she sources and collaborates with the best suppliers in the events industry to showcase available talent, usually through innovative photoshoots.

‘We bring a team of businesses together, sourcing models, photographers/ videographers. We set up a scene to promote each suppliers’ products/services, and photograph/video scenes much like a movie production set. We then cross promote each other on social media platforms which helps to gain new followers, creates business referrals and creates quality marketing content. We have been lucky enough to have had many of our photoshoots published, including an overseas publication.’

All of this, she points out, is also completely free marketing.

‘We also make the most amazing connections, which bodes well for future business partnerships, it builds trust, quality and reliability which leads to business sales for all involved.’

Category sponsor – Masterkabin