Posted on January 4, 2008 at 3:15 pm | 
By 
I published a post before Christmas expressing my interest to setup a new Industry Association to represent the interests of the digital sector in Ireland.
I was going to propose we call the Association ‘Irish Digital Media Association’ (IDMA). But I quickly realised it wouldn’t work for a very simple, non-technical reason. The acronym would conflict with the Irish Direct Marketing Association (IDMA). So, I’d like to propose the name ‘Irish Interactive Media Association’ (IIMA), similar to the British Interactive Media Association.
I need to reiterate that it’s not my intention to duplicate the efforts of other associations. I want to fill a void without overcharging for it. For example, mobile as a digital medium has little to no representation in Ireland, so this association would cover mobile.
I’d like to thank Blacknight for its sponsorship, with a special thanks to Michele for offering his support.
Venue Jaipur, 1 South Great George’s St, Dublin 2.
Date 29th January 2008
Time 7pm
The good news is that everyone who expressed their interest can come. There’s no reason to ‘invite’ specific people. The not-so good news is that we don’t have any representation from the big agencies or mobile companies. Truth be told, I never mentioned mobile until now, so perhaps that’s my fault for not providing examples of what the association could cover.
Now that we have a confirmed date, please RSVP your place now, even if you previously expressed an interest. I’m sure we can accommodate everyone, but because I’m putting out another call to action, it’s possible we might attract more people. So, the first 33 people to RSVP get in.
This invitation is open to other associations too, as they can add great value to the discussion - we could probably squeeze a few more around the table. I’ll publish an agenda closer to the date.
Below is some of the stuff I published on my initial post.
If you’re interested in helping me improve the ecosystem for the Digital Industry in Ireland, please join me for dinner in January. This is not just about having a conversation over dinner, people will need to contribute in some way, even if only to help open doors.
I intend to setup a new non-profit independent association. I will propose 12 Executive Directors, 1 Chair and up to 5 Advisors. I will not automatically qualify for any of the seats. Everything will be open and transparent. I will of course, put myself forward for the position as Chair, so if you like what I do for BIMA then you’ll give me your vote
The invitation is open to Academia, Government, Investors, Lawyers, Entrepreneurs, Corporations such as Microsoft, Adobe and Google, and anyone else with a vested interest in helping improve the system. This invitation is only extended to Enterprise Ireland if its board commits to taking away action items.
61 Comments
So far,
January 4, 2008 @ 
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Alex Boothroyd
Paul -
Look forward to joining the evening!
Best,
Alex