A non-profit, membership led body, the Institute of Creative Advertising and Design (ICAD) is made up of the best creatives in Ireland. Our primary aim is to support creative excellence in Irish advertising and design and those working within the industry. Our mission statement informs everything we do - to ‘foster, promote and reward creative excellence in Irish advertising and design’. We are best known for our annual awards but we also run exhibitions, events, talks, offer learning opportunities and publish an awards book. Amongst other things.

ICAD evolved from an idea conceived of by a small group of visionaries (Jan De Fouw, Ted O'Sullivan, Frank Ryan, Bernard Share, Giles Talbot Kelly, William Bergin, Gerard Doherty, Jarlath Hayes), through the 60's, 70's and 80's into what it is today. It was founded in 1958 in answer to the issues facing Irish Creatives at the time. Many of these issues remain relevant today. In this excerpt, taken from the first issue of Campaign (the journal of ICAD published in October 1959), editor Bernard Share explains the thinking behind ICAD’s foundation: ‘The Institute .... in taking its stand upon the encouragement of the highest possible standards in every field of creative advertising, is aware that its greatest responsibility lies with the advertising men and women of tomorrow. But this is by no means the beginning and the end. It is aware also that a great deal needs to be done in the education of public taste so that both manufactures and consumers will expect and demand work of the highest quality. Such changes of heart do not happen over night, and though we as an Institute are far from being starry-eyed idealists, we are idealists enough to believe that an improvement can be and is being made, however slowly.'

President

Nathan Reilly

Tiny Ark

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Executive Board

Bairbre McGlade

BBDO Dublin

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Executive Board

Kasia Ozmin

Together We Create

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Executive Board

Sarah Chadwick

Clickety Clack

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Executive Board

Ger Roe

Publicis Dublin

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Management Board

Kate Brangan

Or Studio & NCAD

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Management Board

Olivia McLaughlin

Tiny Ark

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Management Board

Clayton Homer

TBWA\Dublin

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Management Board

Max Phillips

Signal Type Foundry

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Management Board

Paul Arthurs

TBWA\Dublin

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Management Board

Emma Conway

The National Library of Ireland

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Management Board

Dean Jones

Scimitar Sound

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Management Board

Alex Ingarfield

Droga5

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Membership

Become an ICAD Member

We have different types of membership to suit and support you whatever stage of your career you’re at. Whether you’re a student, a working creative or unwaged we have a membership to suit you.

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Let me dance back to when I first heard of it. I was a young creative happily knowing fuck all. Which was not today. Nor yesterday. It was for other people. Older people. Better people. With bigger ideas. Bigger talents. And a firm grasp of the world’s commercial realities. It made me feel a little nervous. A touch inadequate. A wee bit unworthy. Not inappreciably resentful. Until. I met some of those people. On both sides of the house. Advertising and Design. And found them to be, well, generous. With time. And thoughts. And considerations. And endless little kindnesses. Which makes them sound like Quakers. Which is bullshit. It’s a Petri dish of schadenfreude. And so it should be. Creative people are ambitious. Jealous. Envious. And yet. ICAD has supported the creative industry in this strange little country for over 50 years. Because. ICAD members have been the creative community for over 50 years. They have bolstered each other. Battered each other. Learned from each other. Stolen from each other. Yearned to outdo each other. Longed to work with each other. ICAD is not an idea. It is not a place. It is not a ceremony. It is not a series of events. ICAD is its people. It is what they make it. Not that they exist. There is no them. They are us. And if you are a member so are you.

ICAD – Notes On An Institution, Des Kavanagh