🧏 In France, 12 million people with hearing impairments (source: WHO) are still excluded from advertising. 
In 2024, only 11% of adverts were subtitled and 2.3% audio-described (source: XR Reach and Peach study).

📄 A legislative framework, yes... but one that excludes advertising

As we mentioned in our guide to SDH subtitling in France, french Arcom regulations impose a quota of programs that must include subtitling, depending on the audience of each channel: 
- audience > 2.5% of the total audience of television services + public broadcasting companies: subtitling of all programs 
- audience < 2.5%: an agreement with Arcom sets the proportions of accessible programs. 

Audiodescription regulations also require compliance with annual quotas for programs offered in audiodescription. 

The only problem is that these regulations, for both subtitling and audiodescription, do not apply to advertising. 
As a result, in 2024, only 11% of commercials were subtitled and 2.3% were audio-described! 

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Initiatives and a practical guide to accessible advertising

Some french advertising agencies have already launched initiatives to raise awareness and get advertisers moving: 

- The subtitling service for commercials broadcast on linear TV, launched by M6 Publicité in 2023 
- France TV Publicité's operation to subtitle 100% of TV commercials during the Olympic Games. 

Voluntary initiatives, such as those by members of the Union des marques (brand representative organisation) Faire program, also show that change is possible: their commercials already reach 44% subtitling and 9.6% audio description. 👇👇👇

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But for these practices to become truly widespread, a change of scale is needed, as non-accessibility penalizes both brands (loss of exposure, damage to brand image) and the audiences concerned. Nearly 45% of people with visual or hearing impairments feel excluded from advertising, which damages advertisers' image. 

In response to this situation, the Union des marques and ARPP (Professional Advertising Regulatory Authority) have drawn up a practical guide to accessible communications, focusing on subtitling and audio description. In a pragmatic and operational way, this guide brings together all the information needed to make advertising campaigns accessible. 

Produced with the support of major players such as the Fondation Valentin Haüy, Groupama and Société Générale, the guide illustrates how to turn accessibility into a performance lever.

Download the guide to accessible communications (in french)

A PROJECT? LET'S TALK!

Videomenthe, your subtitling partner, is ready to discuss your project. 

What do we offer? Accessible solutions for professional SDH subtitling to french or local standards, with : 

- EoleCC, a collaborative platform for multilingual and SDH subtitling, - a lab service (fee per file) with subtitle review by subtitlers specialized in SDH

Contact us!

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