From quick check-ins to daily voice notes, group chats and life advice, Irish friendships are always on, with new research from Virgin Media revealing that three in ten 18–34-year-olds speak to their closest friend several times a day, while more than half speak to them every day*.
With today marking National Friendship Day, new research from Virgin Media highlights just how important close friendships are in everyday life across Ireland. Among all adults, almost four in ten speak to their closest friend every day, while 85% stay connected at least once a week*.
To celebrate the power of friendship and trusted recommendations, Virgin Media has launched Bring a Pal, a new rewards programme that gives customers the chance to share Virgin Media with the people closest to them. When a customer refers a friend and they successfully join, both receive a €50 reward voucher for retailers including Just Eat, Tesco’s and Currys.
The research shows that friends are not just the people we turn to for a chat – they are also trusted voices when it comes to advice, decisions and recommendations. More than four in ten Irish adults seek advice from friends on health and wellbeing, 38% turn to them for friendships and social situations, and almost one in three seek their input on big life decisions*.
Friends are also playing an important role in everyday purchase decisions. Just under one in three Irish adults say they turn to friends for technology and everyday recommendations, while half have already referred a friend to a business or service*.
Connectivity is already part of that trusted friend-to-friend conversation. Among those who have referred a business or service, 22% have recommended a phone or broadband provider, highlighting the role personal recommendations can play when people are choosing the services that keep them connected*.
The research also points to the growing role of digital connections in building real-world friendships. More than one in three 18–34-year-olds say they have formed meaningful friendships through online communities that later led to meeting in person, compared with 23% of adults overall*.
A spokesperson for Virgin Media, said: “Friendships are some of the most important connections in our daily lives. Whether it’s a quick message, a recommendation, or advice from someone we trust, friends play a huge role in how we stay connected and make decisions. Our new Bring a Pal programme is built around that simple idea. If our customers love Virgin Media, we want to make it easy for them to share it with a friend – and reward both of them when they do.”
They added: “The research shows that recommendations from friend continue to carry real weight, particularly when it comes to everyday services and technology. Bring a Pal is our way of recognising those trusted connections and giving something back to both our customers and their pals.”
Virgin Media customers can start referring friends today by visiting https://www.virginmedia.ie/