2017 Winners & Shortlists

MAKING SENSE OF DYSLEXIA

BrandSYDLEXIA
Product/ServiceDYSLEXIA CORRECTING FACILITY
EntrantIMPACT BBDO Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryUse of Print
Idea Creation IMPACT BBDO Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Campaign

Instead of telling our audience how Sydlexia treats dyslexia, we decided to show them. The first step was to create an abstract graphical representation of how dyslexics perceive the written word. We designed a series of posters that visually echoed the fragmented and confusing way dyslexics perceive text. These posters were sent to a select audience, who were invited to learn how to fold it at our website. Utilizing the art of origami, the correctly folded poster would reveal a paper-craft animal as well as the decoded animal’s name emblazoned on its side. In this way, we showcased both the challenges dyslexics face as well as the abstract educational techniques Sydlexia uses to help children overcome them.

Creative Execution

dyslexics find it easier to read on lightly coloured paper. Instead of using just black type we used visually interesting colour combinations that complimented the base colour of each poster for some visual flair. The aim of these communications was to make them universally accessible. We created printable posters that can be downloaded from anywhere and were available in two versions: ones that could be printed in colour on white paper, or ones that you print in black on coloured papers. The paper chosen is thin but cotton based which allows for easy folding while maintaining strength. Developing the posters so that the typography aligned with the end folds was very involved, and required the design of a folding grid that calculated where to position the broken pieces of type so our deconstructed type could become legible.

More than 11,000 people visited Sydlexia’s website in the first week to learn how to fold the posters and find out more about dyslexia. The posters have been downloaded more than 34,000 times since launch date. As a result, Sydlexia registered a 500% increase in enquiries received and they’ve never been happier to help.

Posters are usually passive pieces of communication that are designed to be looked at, not interacted with. Our series of Sydlexia posters invited our audience to use and interact with the medium in a new and interesting way that not only communicated our message but did so in an engaging and memorable fashion. Moreover, these posters necessitated the interaction with the brand on two fronts: both tangible and digital, rewarding those who chose to visit our website too.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Even though an estimated 1 in 10 people worldwide have dyslexia, there is very limited awareness as to what it is and even less as to how it’s treated. Most people have a vague notion that it relates to having difficulty reading, but have no idea what that means or how it manifests in the real world. As such, we wanted to first show our audience what dyslexia looks like before demonstrating how our teaching methodology can help you make sense of it, in essence providing a real world example of how Sydlexia helps them overcome their disabilities.

Credits

Name Company Role
Fadi Yaish Impact BBDO Dubai Executive Creative Director
Ryan Atkinson Impact BBDO Dubai Design Creative Director
Mohamed Samir Impact BBDO Dubai Senior Creative Designer
Rijin Kunnath Impact BBDO Dubai Graphic Designer
Jamie Kennaway Impact BBDO Dubai Creative Director
Steve De Lange Impact BBDO Dubai Creative Director
Alok Mohan Impact BBDO Dubai Creative Director
Links
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