Name: Audio Description in Advertising
Start: 2025-01-07T19:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-01-07T21:00:00-05:00
Location: 72 Spring St

This event will be online and in-person. **The speaker and live stream starts at 7:30 pm ET**. In-person attendees may arrive as early as 7 pm ET.

**Description**
The heads of the award-winning Audio Description department at the International Digital Centre (IDC) lead a discussion about the benefits of AD in advertising and explore the current and historical shortcomings of the industry.

Audio Description Head Writer Liz Gutman and Director of Audio Production Eric Wickstrom lead a discussion of audio description in advertising. They will explore:

* Their findings on the current state of the industry.
* Reasons for the historical lack of AD in television commercials.
* Ideas for the future of marketing engagement with blind and low-vision consumers.

Attendees will gain a better understanding of consumer needs, and ways to initiate outreach to the community. Anyone interested in expanding accessibility in marketing is encouraged to attend.

There will be time for your questions.

**Presenter bios**
**Eric Wickstrom** is a multi-award-winning Audio Producer, Director and Podcast Host with over 14 years of experience specializing in the creation of audio content for leading networks and streaming services. He has personally directed/produced thousands of audio projects for clients all over the world. He's most proud to lead the Audio Description team at IDC. Universally regarded as one of the best AD departments in the industry, IDC just won its second consecutive "Audience Choice Award" from the American Council of the Blind in 2024.

Connect with [Eric on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-wickstrom-31735b9/).

**Liz Gutman** is the head Audio Description Writer at the International Digital Centre (IDC) based in New York City. In her six years of working in access, she's been privileged to write (and occasionally voice) AD for hundreds of projects, from independent films like Best Summer Ever and Crutch to blockbuster series including Bridgerton, Squid Game, and All The Light We Cannot See.

IDC's AD department won a 2021 AD Achievement Award from the American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project; as well as ADP's 2023 and 2024 People's Choice Awards. Liz proudly helped lead the charge to onboard blind and low-vision narrators into IDC's workflow starting in 2020. She also teaches an AD Fundamentals course with Audio Description Training Retreats; and is host/producer of the podcast Access F\*ckery. Liz is always looking to improve her craft and to connect with others who are passionate about creating high-quality audio descriptions.

Connect with [Liz on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizgutman/).

**Accessibility**
The presentation will have human captions [CC], not automatic captions. There will be an ASL interpreter.

For Aira Visual Interpreter access for the Blind and Low Vision community, download the Aira Explorer app on the [Apple App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aira-explorer/id1590186766) or [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.aira.explorer&hl=en-US). For access in the physical space, the A11yNYC geofence should apply automatically.

To access the online webinar for audio description, use the A11yNYC Access Offer to call, or simply inform your Visual Interpreter that you'd like that offer applied when you connect.

Please let us know about any other accessibility requirements two weeks before the event.

**Livestream**
[YouTube link](https://youtu.be/ZHhLu6veMTw)

Provided by Internet Society Accessibility SIG.

**Location details**
The event is on the 4th floor. Everyone must be accompanied to the event on the 4th floor. Because everyone needs to be escorted, please arrive early or on time. When you enter the ground floor, a representative from A11yNYC will be there to provide elevator access.

Attendees can enter on the third floor and go up the staircase, or request accommodation to go directly to the 4th floor. Thanks to Ben Ogilvie for making this possible! [Let us know](https://www.meetup.com/A11yNYC) if you're coming!

The building is near several transit stops:

6 train

* Spring Street (non-accessible stop): 100 feet
* Canal Street (accessible stop): 0.4 miles

NQRW trains

* Prince Street (non-accessible stop): 0.2 miles
* Canal Street (accessible stop): 0.3 miles

M1 / M55 Bus lines

* Broadway/Spring Street stop: 500 feet

Cabs and rideshares can let passengers out right near the building entrance

**Accreditation**
All A11yNYC meetups are pre-approved for IAAP Continuing Accessibility Education Credits (CAEC).

**Sponsors**
Thanks to [AKQA](https://www.akqa.com/), [Deque](https://www.deque.com/), [Evinced](https://www.evinced.com/), [Equal Entry](https://equalentry.com/), and [Fable](https://makeitfable.com/) for sponsoring. Want to be a sponsor? Contact meryl@equalentry.com

Meryl K. Evans

Thomas Logan

Cameron Cundiff

Ben Ogilvie

A11yNYC - Accessibility New York City

Technology

Accessibility

Mobile Technology

JavaScript

iOS Development

Web Technology

Mobile Development

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - WCAG

HTML5

Web Accessibility

 Audio Description in Advertising

72 Spring St

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A11yNYC - Accessibility New York City

Audio Description in Advertising

A11yNYC - Accessibility New York City

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