Aviva Stadium Spotlight: Two SMEs — House of Hofu and Thomp2 Socks — Win Pitchside Showcase
Wicklow’s House of Hofu and family-founded Thomp2 Socks have been named winners of Vodafone Ireland’s See Your Business Pitchside competition, earning €25, 000 of pitchside and digital screen advertising at Aviva Stadium that will place their brands before more than 50, 000 fans at Ireland’s Six Nations fixtures. The selection promises high‑profile exposure for a three‑year‑old sustainable fashion label and a family business built on social inclusion.
Background: The competition, the winners and what they produce
Vodafone Ireland’s initiative awards pitchside and digital advertising valued at €25, 000 to small and medium enterprises. House of Hofu, founded three years ago by Ann‑Marie Woods in Greystones, produces clothing, bags and alcohol‑free perfume oils using environmentally conscious materials such as seaqual and Mirum and emphasises ethical production methods. Thomp2 Socks, created by entrepreneur Thomas Barry and his family, makes fashion‑forward cotton socks and directs 5% of profits to charities and services supporting people with Down syndrome, including St. John of God Foundation.
What the Aviva Stadium showcase entails and immediate implications
The prize will feature both brands on pitchside and on stadium digital screens during Ireland’s Six Nations matches, giving them visibility to stadium crowds exceeding 50, 000 and to the broader televised audience for the fixtures. House of Hofu’s branding will appear as Ireland face Wales, while Thomp2 Socks will be showcased during Ireland’s match with Scotland. Winners also receive VIP match tickets and invitations to the team’s Captain’s Run, offering direct access to a sporting audience that competition organisers position as commercially valuable for brand growth.
For House of Hofu, the showcase represents a strategic amplification of a small business still in early growth stages; for Thomp2 Socks it is a platform that aligns commercial exposure with the company’s inclusion mission. The combined package of pitchside branding, digital screens and VIP access crystallises why the €25, 000 valuation matters to SMEs seeking to scale awareness quickly.
Voices from founders and the competition sponsor
Ann‑Marie Woods, founder of House of Hofu, described the opportunity as transformative for a young label. “It’s an amazing opportunity for us, ” she said, noting the challenge smaller brands face in earning broad visibility and expressing disbelief at seeing her brand selected for such prominent placement.
Shane Barry, Business Owner, commented on the significance for Thomp2 Socks and its community impact: “It means more than brand exposure. It’s a statement that small Irish businesses can compete at the highest level while doing good at the same time. Rugby is about inclusion, teamwork, and backing each other, values that mirror exactly why we started the company. Seeing our brand at a Six Nations game isn’t just a win for us; it will be a win for the community we represent and support. ”
Jo Gilfoy, director of Vodafone Business at Vodafone Ireland, framed the programme’s intent: “House of Hofu and Thomp2 Socks are both fantastic businesses driven by purpose. This exposure will put them centre stage for so many potential new customers and corporations. ” Her comment underscores the competition’s role in connecting purpose‑driven SMEs with mass audiences.
Regional reach and what to watch next
The immediate regional impact is clear: both SMEs will see their brands in front of tens of thousands of in‑stadium spectators and a wider television audience during marquee national fixtures. For a Greystones‑based sustainable label and a family‑run social enterprise from Tallaght, the platform can accelerate partnerships, wholesale interest or retail inquiries that smaller companies typically secure only after sustained marketing investment. The presence on pitchside also tests how sport sponsorship can translate to customer acquisition and community awareness for early‑stage firms.
As the games unfold, stakeholders will be watching how the exposure converts to measurable outcomes for revenue, new partnerships and fundraising for causes tied to Thomp2 Socks. Will the pitchside moment at Aviva Stadium translate into a lasting uplift for two very different but purpose‑driven Irish SMEs?
