Adam Maguire

The Bailout Babies book

The Bailout Babies on the shelf of a bookshop

A window display of a book shop

My book The Bailout Babies is out now.

How Ireland’s financial crisis reshaped a generation, how they’re re-writing the rules in response and what it means for the country’s future.

Available in store, online and as an ebook.

Released this week from Gill Books is Bailout Babies from journalist & author @adammaguire.bsky.social . ( I love the brief subliminal image from the peak Celtic Tiger era Belmayne ad also) - link to purchase here - thebookshop.ie/adam-maguire...

Endorse Code: Influencers falling foul of ad rules Influencers have become a hugely important part of the marketing and advertising world - but they don't always make it clear when they're being paid to promote, writes Adam Maguire.

Influencers can make a lot of money by endorsing products - but they’re supposed to follow strict ad rules when they do.

And some big names have been found lacking on that front in Ireland

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Golden Rule: Netflix & Sony caught off-guard by KPop hit KPop Demon Hunters has become a global smash hit – in spite of the low expectations of the companies behind it, writes Adam Maguire.

KPop Demon Hunters has become Netflix’s biggest ever movie, breaking Billboard & box office records on the way.

But neither the streamer or maker Sony realised they had a hit on their hands. So much so that the 1st toys won’t hit shelves until next year

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Deadly Viewing: How The Traitors became a global hit The Traitors isn't exactly a revolutionary format, but it has swept the global TV world by storm in a matter of years, writes Adam Maguire.

The concept behind The Traitors isn't exactly ground-breaking - but it's still become a smash, global hit since it debuted in The Netherlands four years ago.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

@news.rte.ie

Default Line: How being the easy option is worth billions We all like things to be as convenient as possible, which proves to be very lucrative for any company that can make itself the default option, writes Adam Maguire.

Being the default option isn’t necessarily a bad thing - in fact it’s worth billions of dollars to some companies.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

@news.rte.ie | @rteradio1.bsky.social

Amazing to get my hands on a physical copy of the book. Countdown is on until it’s on the shelves.

#ireland #business #bailoutbabies #consumer #irish #celtictiger

Green Fables: How firms have misled on sustainability Shein has been hit with two fines relating to its misleading sustainability claims, but there's a long history of firms trying to make themselves look more eco-friendly than they actually were, writes...

Shein has been hit with two fines in recent weeks - with greenwashing a feature of both.

Fast fashion is one of the worst environmental offenders - but it’s not the only sector to try to fool consumers over its sustainability efforts.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Delighted to reveal my new book, The Bailout Babies.

It looks at the generation that grew up during the Celtic Tiger, but came of age in the crash.

How the deck has been stacked against them, and how they’re responding by reshaping the economy.

Out 18th Sept, preorders: linktr.ee/adam.maguire

Live, Forever: Why bands are reuniting early and often Reunion tours used to be confined to retired rockers looking to pad out their pensions, but the changing economics of the music industry has prompted groups to reunite at a much younger age, writes Ad...

Band reunions used to be dismissed as the last hurrah of some has-beens looking to pad out their pension fund. But now they’re happening earlier and more often - and fans can’t get enough.

My analysis piece for @news.rte.ie

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Big Ticket: Why music festivals are so expensive The Irish summer is laden down with music and arts festivals and going along can cost quite a lot of money - but the idea that greedy promoters are ripping gig-goers off is generally wide of the mark,...

All Together Now kicks off this weekend - 35 years on from the first Féile.

Festival ticket prices have sky-rocketed since 1990 - but so too have gig-goers’ expectations.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Cost Bite: What 4 years of inflation has done to prices The ECB seems to think it's gotten inflation under control - but consumers are still counting the cost of it on a daily basis, writes Adam Maguire.

The rate of inflation has eased but that doesn't mean cost of living pressures have gone away.

I took a look at what four years of rising prices has done to the cost of every day items like milk, eggs and chocolate.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

#prices #inflation #ireland #costofliving

Monster Hit: How Labubu became a billion-dollar business Labubu dolls have become a smash hit toy and fashion accessory, but they also represent a cultural watershed for China, writes Adam Maguire.

You might think they’re creepy, you might think they’re cute.

But Labubu dolls are a smash hit - and another sign of China’s growing cultural influence on the world

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

#toys #labubu #china #popmart #plush #blindbox #doll

Seems a bit odd to talk about the “canon” of a show in which none of the characters have aged in the past 36 years.

(A show which had also had multiple, contradictory flash-forwards)

A fridge too far: Why appliances lifespans got shorter Household appliances don't last as long as they used to – but the reason is more complicated than you might think, writes Adam Maguire.

Appliances don’t last as long as they used to - but it’s not just because companies are trying to get you to upgrade more often. The real reason is a bit more complicated than that.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Rap Battle: How Gilbert O'Sullivan changed hip hop Gilbert O'Sullivan has been a respected hit-maker since the 1970s – but less well-known is how his music forever reshaped the genre of hip hop, writes Adam Maguire.

You might not know it from listening to his music, but Gilbert O’Sullivan has been one of the most influential forces in modern hip hop

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Think I’ll give myself an hour of dreaming before I check my ticket

Prinsesstårta - layers of sponge with custard, raspberry jam, custard cream, cream and marzipan.

What’s not to like?

#baking #homemade

When I refused, in both cases, the caller was totally understanding - said I could call them back in my own time etc.

Which was a solid sign it wasn’t a scam.

A bit of searching around suggested the number was legit too.

But I don’t think this should be the customer’s problem.

Recently had two cold calls; one from my bank and one from my car insurer. In both cases they asked *me* for some personal info so they could confirm my identity - before they’d tell me what the call was about.

Surely they see the problem with this approach and can find a better way.

Borrow-ito: Consumers taking on debt for a takeaway Consumers are taking out lines of credit to cover the cost of their chips, and it's getting some market experts worried, writes Adam Maguire.

Economists and market-watchers think we may have a new recession indicator - people getting takeaways on the never never

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Money Bags: How to get a handle on airline baggage costs Staying on the right side of an airline's baggage policy can take work and planning, but failing to do so might end up costing you more than the price of the flight itself, writes Adam Maguire.

A major European consumer group says you should get more baggage space included in the price of your plane ticket - but for now at least you’ll have to be smart to keep luggage costs down.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Prophets and losses: The Vatican Bank's scandalous past The Vatican Bank was shrouded in mystery and controversy for decades - and problems remain, even after a decade of reforms under Pope Francis.

Pope Francis tried to clean house, but it will take a long time for the Vatican Bank to escape the shadow of its scandalous past

My piece for @news.rte.ie / @rteradio1.bsky.social:

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Ah thanks!

Not sure I’d recommend using me as a fashion influencer 😂

Confusion more than fear over Trump's chip tariff plan Donald Trump wants semiconductor companies to make more chips in the US - rather than Taiwan and Ireland - but few expect his tariffs plan will make that happen, writes Adam Maguire.

Many doubt Trump’s planned tariffs on computer chips will bring more manufacturing to the US, and some even question how they will be levied at all

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Lyft to enter European market with €175m FreeNow deal Lyft is buying mobility platform FreeNow from German automotive giants BMW and Mercedes-Benz for €175m to expand into the European lift-hailing market, the US company said today.

Currently averaging a rate of one rebrand every 3.25 years.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Trolley Toll: How tariffs could impact your weekly shop It is unclear the extent to which consumers will be impacted by US-EU tariffs, but what is clear is that they will not escape unscathed, writes Adam Maguire.

Trolley Toll: How tariffs could impact the price of your weekly shop

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Toon Out: Why Disney has remade its classics cartoons Disney's live action remakes have gotten plenty of criticism – but they've also made the studio a lot of money... until now, writes Adam Maguire.

Disney had made a lot of money by remaking some classic cartoons - but is their live-action winning streak coming to an end?

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Screen Saver: How cinemas are trying to bring us back Cinemas are one of the few businesses that is yet to recover from the pandemic - but many are getting creative in their attempts to lure audiences back, writes Adam Maguire.

Cinemas are one of the few sectors that has yet to recover from the pandemic - which has led many operators to innovate in an attempt to bring audiences back

www.rte.ie/news/busines...