The Irish Language: An Influential Marketing Tool

26% of Irish Consumers Will Pay More for a Product that Markets through Irish

Once scoffed as a ‘dying language’ new research cements the Irish language as a powerful tool in the marketing mix.

A recent survey carried out by Amárach Research in conjunction with Gaelchultúr, examines the commercial value consumers place on the Irish language in branding and marketing efforts. 1,000 respondents, with varying proficiency in the language, participated in the study.

Findings from the survey offer meaningful insight into the public’s perception of and engagement with Irish language branding and advertisements. 73% of respondents have stated that when a company use Irish in their marketing, they assume that the company is local or Irish-owned.

Not only does the use of Irish in campaigns strengthen the Irish-owned, locally-operated persona of a brand but findings from the research offer a holistic understanding into how consumers engage with Irish language marketing. Despite over 50% of participants having little or no Irish, 59% of respondents stated that they like seeing businesses communicating through Irish in their marketing and advertising. Additional findings from the survey indicate that Irish language advertising increases engagement and attention rates. The percentage breakdown of respondents that try to understand Irish language ads as much as possible were radio ads (54%), newspaper ads (44%) and TV ads (52%).

Perhaps the most compelling findings of the study centre around brand value, where 41% of respondents state that they were more likely to purchase products or services that use Irish in their marketing with 26% of people stating that they would pay more for a product or service that includes the Irish language in their marketing mix. Consumer willingness to pay more is increasingly higher among younger age groups with 36% of respondents under 35 and 29% of respondents between 35-44 happy to pay more for the same product or service when Irish is used in its branding and advertising.

‘Customers want to invest in brands that align with their own values’, explains Gaelchultúr’s Chief Executive Officer, Darren Ó Rodaigh. ‘Efficiently using the Irish language in marketing efforts allows for a deeper connection between companies and their target consumers, these findings are testament to that’.

Chief Executive Officer of the Marketing Institute of Ireland Shane McGonigle echoes these sentiments stating: ‘Professional marketing has the power to create connections between people and products based on shared values. This research highlights the importance of the Irish language to people and the commercial opportunity that it offers in creating and building these relationships.’

This survey was conducted by Amárach Research in conjunction with Gaelchultúr in February 2024. Gaelchultúr is the first and only Irish language third-level college and the largest provider of Irish language courses and resources worldwide. The college was selected as Ireland’s Best Language School in 2022 and 2023 and its goal is to provide first-class services that will inspire both learners and fluent speakers to improve their knowledge of the language. The survey findings in their entirety are available here.