Meadhbh Quinn, Meteor's head of marketing communications, said they hired the Gunners' youth academy boss because they wanted a high-pro"le sports personality recognisable to 25- to 44-year-olds.

As a football pundit on RTE, Brady, affectionately known as Chippy at Arsenal, is "credible while not over-exposed in advertising", Quinn added.

But Brady is likely to keep his gra for Meteor on silent in north London, as O2 is one of Arsenal's commercial partners. The mobile brand graced the club shirt for years before the Emirates deal.

As for the work by Publicis QMP, due to the agency's rotation system, Dave Cowzer, a diehard 'Gooner' (Arsenal fan), didn't get a shot at the copywriting. Instead, that honour went to the creative team's Briain WrightWright-Wright.

HRI CUTS TO THE CHASE

AS the Soldiers of Destiny prepare to pitch their corporate tent in Ballybrit, Horse Racing Ireland's ad account is up for grabs.

Chemistry and Rothco are in the running and the field is also understood to have included Cawley Nea\TBWA and McConnells.

Young Euro RSCG has handled HRI in recent days with TV chatterbox Hector O hEochagain extolling the virtues of race going.

Sadly, HRI execs did not reply to our emails or calls.

KEEPING SCHTUM ON JAMESON

IRISH Distillers is no stranger to the sport of kings. Both Jameson and Powers whiskey brands are past and present backers of the Irish Grand National. Jameson is said to be among the favourites to replace Budweiser as the title sponsor of the Irish Derby.

IDL's parent, Pernod Ricard, sees Jameson as its big brown hope overseas. In recent years, TBWA, whose local shop is Cawley Nea, have rolled out creative work from Paris in a bid to convince consumers there's nothing smoother than Midleton's pot still. An ad review is now in the "nal throes.

Alas, more secrecy surrounds developments than an update on an al-Qaeda strategy meeting. IDL's PR unit was schtum this week, but we know a four-way pitch is down to two agencies, including M&C Saatchi out of Paris. Pernod Ricard has briefed agencies on its �50 m media across six European markets, including the UK and Ireland. Vizeum is the incumbent.

EXPLORATORY TALKS

SOMEONE who was happy to liaise with Publius was Oisin Masterson at Topaz Energy.

Topaz, owner of the Shell and Statoil licences in Ireland, is working on a number of operational and marketing plans, not least its branding strategy. Talks are under way with "some of the best ad agencies" around town, Masterson told Publius.

Topaz must decide whether to keep using the Shell and Statoil brands, or go with something entirely new. Statoil has only three years to go in the Irish market. Masterson said he hoped matters will take shape by late September. In coming weeks, Topaz will shortlist about five agencies for the task.

Chemistry, Rothco and McConnells, which handled Statoil for years, are queuing in the forecourt.

BUS ABOUT TO DEPART?

THE Financial Regulator's 'Bus' ad, set on the top of a double decker with commuters 'fessing their ignorance about tracker mortgages and APRs, has a cult following. A send-up of the ad by Limerick rag weekers was posted on YouTube. But cult followings don't always cut the Colman's and government bodies must review every few years. So Cawley Nea\TBWA is out doing battle. Other agencies submitted tender documents last Monday from which presentations will be invited. The review should reach its terminus by late August.

ELSEWHERE IN ADLAND

DDFH&B-JWT HAS won Oceanico, the Portugal-based property and leisure group, previously with Owens DDB. Mediaworks and Carat are vying for Trocaire. Chemistry handles creative. Irish Broadband put incumbent Mediaworks to the test and the Owens DDB offshoot saw off Presence Media in a "nal shoot-out. Leo Burnett handles creative. Agencies have been invited to tender for the National Stud account.