HOW VIRGIN MEDIA IRELAND USES MEGAPHONE TV TO DRIVE FAN ENGAGEMENT AND CREATE NEW REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES
For broadcasters, finding new ways to engage audiences while creating premium sponsorship opportunities is becoming increasingly important, especially in live sports programming.
That’s exactly what Debbie McNally, Client Performance Lead, and Matthew Treanor, Client Performance Executive, at Virgin Media Ireland discovered through their partnership with Megaphone TV.
“We’ve been working with Megaphone for the last two or three years,” said McNally. “It works really well for us around sports events because the conversation is very natural. It’s all about what’s happening live in the game, so having an interactive tool viewers can vote on and engage with is brilliant.”
As one of Ireland’s leading television broadcasters, Virgin Media delivers a mix of live sports, entertainment, news and studio programming. Their commercial partnerships team focuses on creating branded opportunities outside traditional ad breaks, an area where Megaphone has helped unlock additional inventory and audience interaction.
Creating New Revenue Inside Live Programming
For Virgin Media Ireland, one of the biggest advantages of Megaphone has been the ability to generate new sponsorship opportunities directly within live content.
“We have to create new opportunities and new forms of inventory for us to sell,” said McNally. “Megaphone gives us the ability to create extra revenue by integrating brands directly into the show instead of only around the show.”
That integration has proven especially effective during live sports broadcasts, including Six Nations rugby coverage and League of Ireland soccer programming.
“It gives brands a presence during the studio panel discussion time, which is when most viewers are actively watching and want to be part of the conversation,” Treanor explained.
Unlike traditional commercial breaks, Megaphone placements appear within live editorial content, making them more visible and harder for viewers to skip.
“We sell it as a premium in-program placement that’s unskippable,” said McNally. “People fast-forward through ad breaks or walk away during commercials, but this is integrated directly into the content itself.”
A Natural Fit for Sports Broadcasting
Virgin Media Ireland found that interactive audience polling and engagement tools fit naturally into sports coverage because viewers are already highly engaged in the live conversation.
“One of the things my friends always say is they love voting on the poll on a Friday night,” said Treanor. “That demographic can sometimes be difficult for TV to reach, so seeing younger viewers actively engage with it has been really positive.”
The interactive functionality also gives sponsors additional exposure without disrupting the viewing experience.
“It allows brands to own that content a little bit better,” McNally said. “They’re involved with the fans who are having their say.”
When asked whether they would recommend Megaphone to other broadcasters, the answer was immediate.
“100%, I would definitely recommend it,” said McNally. “It has been absolutely so handy for us.”
Megaphone has become more than just an engagement tool for Virgin Media. It has helped create premium sponsorship inventory, increase audience interaction and provide new opportunities within live programming, all while fitting naturally into the viewer experience.
Contact Megaphone TV today to schedule a demo and discover how to drive fan engagement and create new revenue opportunities!