It’s natural to associate the name Guide Dogs Australia with those amazing labradors. But this has meant that people with low vision or blindness have not been making the most of the charity’s wide range of services.
The task that Thinkerbell was given was to reach these people. People with a wide range of visual impairments. The agency’s solution, More than just guide dogs campaign is a collection of executions that are accessible and tailored specifically to people with low vision or blindness.
The campaign was developed in collaboration with a range of specialists including Guide Dogs practitioners and people with low vision or blindness, and features the singular message, More than just guide dogs, animated on screen to change in size, position and colour to account for some of the most common vision conditions. These include blurred vision, tunnel vision, peripheral vision, patchy blindness, field blindness, colour blindness and lastly total blindness.
“We are so much more than an organisation that just provides Guide Dogs. Through the clever rearrangement of our main message on screen, we hope this campaign reaches more people through inclusion and accessibility. We want to start a conversation and for people to know that no matter their vision level, we have a service that can be tailored to increase their independence and help them reach their individual goals,” stated Charlie Spendlove, head of marketing and communications, Centre of Excellence at Guide Dogs.
Jim Ingram, chief creative tinker, Thinkerbell, added, “Producing a singular message that can be read, or received, by almost anyone with different levels of vision was our creative challenge. Large full-screen white letters on black might suit some, whereas smaller lettering placed against a contrasting lighter background is better for others. We’re pleased with the result as without comprehension of the message there’s nothing.”
The music and sound design have also been constructed to enhance inclusivity and add another layer of depth by creating a sense of each eye condition with an audio effect. The video’s voice over and audio description is provided by long-term Guide Dogs client, Alistair Lee, a professional voice over artist who is also blind.
Credits:
Client: Guide Dogs Australia
Head of Marketing and Communications Centre of Excellence: Charlie Spendlove
Brand Manager – Marketing & Communications: Ange Clark
Agency: Thinkerbell
Lead Tinker: Regina Stroombergen
Lead Thinker: Gideon Nedas
Chief Creative Tinker: Jim Ingram
Chief Thinker: Adam Ferrier
General Manager: Jaime Morgan
Production Tinker: Paul Leaning
Content Tinker & Music: Terry Mann
Production Company: Vandal
Managing Director: Brenden Johnson
Executive Producer: Anna Greensmith
Creative Director: Richard Swan
Associate Creative Director: Kurtis Richmond
Design Director: Robo Dinnerville
Sound Design & Mix: Nigel Crowley
Online & Master: Phil Stuart-Jones
