With Ireland’s Six Nations campaign set to kick off this weekend, Virgin Media Television has teamed up with Guinness to provide audio description and Irish sign language for fans on a special pop-up channel on Virgin Media PLAY, the broadcaster’s online platform.
Other brands participating in the initiative include National Dairy Council, Gas Networks Ireland, Dr Oetker and Virgin Media itself.
Over 500,000 people in Ireland are either blind, visually impaired or deaf, making live sporting events less accessible. Guinness’s aim is to support the Irish media landscape in becoming even more representative of our modern & diverse society, giving equal opportunity to “see, hear & experience”.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Virgin Media Television to enhance the accessibility of this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship,” says Alan McAleenan, marketing director, Guinness Ireland.
“We believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the passion and excitement as some of the world’s best rugby teams come together. By providing live Audio Description and Irish Sign Language for this year’s fixtures aired on Virgin Media, we are taking a significant step towards a more inclusive and representative viewing experience for all. This initiative reflects Guinness’s ongoing commitment to celebrating inclusivity & diversity and we look forward to building this further over this year’s Championship and beyond”.
According to Hannah Meaney, sponsorship and NPD lead at Virgin Media: “This marks an important media first and the beginning of our ongoing commitment to create a more accessible experience for all.”
“It has been a continued ambition for Diageo and PHD to create a more inclusive media landscape for Irish audiences,” adds Catherine Marley, group client director with PHD which brokered the deal.
