If you struggle to read, you can’t get lost in a book and you can’t use a newspaper to know what’s going on in the world.

You can’t read the instructions on your medicine either. Can’t read the details in a bill. Can’t read how to play a game with your children.

FCB Inferno partnered with advertising legend, Mark Denton, to create its Daunting World campaign for Project Literacy that draws attention to the challenges associated with adult illiteracy that most people don’t think of. Some are life-threatening. Some threaten wellbeing. Project Literacy is a movement founded and convened by global education company, Pearson, to help advance global literacy.

The eye-catching photographs, which were shot and art directed by Denton, show everyday objects such as detergent bottles, greetings cards and board games. The images are not “everyday” though.  They’re “pack shots with a twist”. The message on each object explains the challenges these everyday objects can present for people who can’t read.

The stories they represent are real and were reported to the Project Literacy team by the newly literate adults they have been working with as part of the campaign.

These ads with a difference are currently rolling out in print and across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to raise awareness about the challenges nearly a billion people across the world face every single day, because they cannot read and write.

Credits:

Chief Creative Officer: Owen Lee
Senior Art Director: Jessica Giles
Senior Copywriter: Austin Hamilton Strategy Director: Julie Lagan
Senior Producer: Bridie Scriven
Business Director: Helena Georghiou Senior Account Manager: Charlie Griffith Graduate: Emma King

Production Company: COY! Communications Photographer: Joe Giacomet