Advertising the Irish Language
Ireland is in the midst of an Irish cultural renaissance. From traditional music and dancing to a renewed passion for the Irish language, the nation's heritage is surging back into centre stage.
So what does this mean for advertising?
Well, with the introduction of the Official Languages Act, public bodies are now required to dedicate 20% of their annual advertising to Irish with 5% of their advertising budget to Irish language media.
So, Boys + Girls senior copywriter Niamh Ryan and creative director Jake O’Driscoll, sat down at their local and discussed the power of indigenous language and its connection to cultural creativity.
Jake> So, Niamh, you obviously know this – but before we dive into this I just wanted to note with full disclosure that I’m actually from New Zealand. I don’t speak a lick of Gaeilge but I have joined the hoards of people in picking it up on Duolingo and doing my part in making it the fastest-growing language on the platform. But, explain to me, who has little to no context to the issues around the language, why the OLA (Official Languages Act) is so important.
Niamh> Over many years, with the erosion of Irish culture and identity, mass emigration, we had a huge loss of language. Even today, this very conversation will spark a ‘Why care? it’s a dead language’ from cynics.
The OLA gives equal status to Irish and English – so we get to see Gaeilge day-to-day in the form of road signs, bilingual websites and now in advertising. Not to mention the funding that got Cailín Cúin to the Oscars with Kneecap submitted for this year too. This Irish renaissance has people finding their way back to learning Irish again. So we have to ask ‘What can the industry do to help?’
Jake> And, with that in mind, it’s important that as a communications industry we don’t just see this as a box-ticking exercise, but reframe it as an opportunity to breathe new life into the Irish language, right? Help connect with the Irish people on a cultural and emotional level too?
Niamh> Yes, this is a unique opportunity for marketing and advertising to put their best collective feet forward to support our native language. It would be easy to just get the job done and tick the box. But the best approach is not to simply cram the Irish language wall to wall into pre-existing ads. But to deliver a version that supports the language and leaves a little room for regular people to pick up a cúpla focal when it pops on the TV. If the Irish language is rich enough that we can write ‘Thirty-Two Words For Field’ we can surely find words that shift perceptions away from it feeling like mandatory T&Cs.
Jake> But if there’s 32 words for a field, how does a radio script not become a translator’s nightmare? Is it possible for us to protect the nuance when we make work as Gaeilge?
Niamh> Collaboration is the key. There are different dialects, pronunciations, and phrases for the same sentence – but isn’t that wonderful? When writing for Irish, we work closely with translators to paraphrase, problem-solve and find language solutions that match the sentiment of the original English. When we have a script we link in with the VO artist, discuss the phrasing and pronunciation. Simply asking ‘How would you say it? This way the final product feels natural and integral, rather than an afterthought.
Jake> Yeah, it’s interesting, I see a lot of parallels here with Te Reo Māori back where I’m from in New Zealand. A language that was essentially colonised and removed from the mainstream, finding a new life with younger audiences and reinvigorating older audiences at the same time. To steal a Tupac quote they’re the roses that grew from concrete.
Niamh> We have to remember, the purpose of the Official Language Act was not to bring advertising to the fluent Gaeilgeoirs and the Irish speaking communities but instead resonate with you, me and the broader population – the people who learnt Irish in school and then forgot it. Or even Kiwis who have no grasp of the language but can appreciate the beauty in it.
Jake> Or Kiwis who also want to be able to pronounce street names properly...
And I guess that’s the quiet part we should say out loud more: Indigenous languages, whether in Ireland or elsewhere, are not lesser alternatives to dominant global tongues. They deserve priority and reverence, because they can connect people in ways that transcend simple communication. Like you say, it’s deeper than that – it’s culture, history, and identity.
Niamh> Yes, the most successful campaigns reflect not just a requirement but a love of Irish. We have continued Screen Ireland's support of the Irish language on the smaller screen with ads like ‘Storymaker Storyboards’. We have shared An Post’s love of the language with their ‘Seol Grá’ campaign being the first of its kind in the Irish market to utilise a multilingual cast of Irish speaking voice overs. The huge effort to make the as gaeilge version just as good as its ‘as bearla’ counterpart, connects with people across multiple brands and shows a new way of approaching advertising in Irish.
Jake> So, what’s the formula for success then?
Niamh> Thinking in Irish from the start, collaborating with translators, linking in with VOs - is a sure way to create campaigns where Irish feels authentic, not an afterthought. By doing this we can watch the Irish language continue to blossom, with our industry having a significant role in ensuring its growth by first embracing the challenge of using, celebrating and respecting Gaeilge in our work.
