Campaign to redefine dyslexia as a skill wins main prize at European Care Awards

A staggering one in five people worldwide are dyslexic, yet only 3% of the population view it positively. 

While dyslexia is often considered a ‘disability,’ research shows that those with dyslexia outperform on skills such as creativity, empathy and leadership.

London-based global charity Made by Dyslexia in collaboration with Virgin Group set out to change the narrative and bust common myths about dyslexia among cultural institutions and the business sector.

‘Dyslexic thinking’ was featured as a ‘skill’ for social media platform LinkedIn’s 810 million users and coined a new term by Dictionary.com.

With the help of renowned stars with dyslexia, including Sir Richard Branson and actors Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, there was a 1562% increase in positive mentions about dyslexia on social media, with negative mentions down 4450% from pre-campaign levels. 

Global companies including Facebook, EY, HSBC, and Microsoft also sought dyslexic thinking as a skill in their recruitment processes.

The campaign was recognised for its excellence in transforming the outdated narrative and changing the way the world sees dyslexia, receiving the prestigious grand prix at the 13th edition of the European Care Awards.

Established in 2008 and organised by non-profit ACT Responsible, the Care Awards recognise the world’s best creative advertising campaigns that promote care for people and the environment.

This year, a total of 120 entries were carefully whittled down to a shortlist of 30 by a panel of creative professionals. 

The grand jury, presided by European Parliament vice-president Dita Charanzová, then selected the seven winning campaigns unveiled on Tuesday.

“I am always surprised to see so many new, creative and inspiring ways to express such critical topics of our society. A good campaign makes you think about these issues and leaves you wanting to do something to help,” Charanzová told Euronews ahead of the ceremony.

“This is what we have seen this year with the submitted campaigns and this is the message of the Care Awards. Politicians, companies, consumers and citizens- young and old- we all have a role to play,” she added.

Seven campaigns bag awards

A further six winners were also honoured for their outstanding contribution to raising public awareness about issues ranging from human rights to social care.

A second grand prix was awarded to ‘Runner 321,’ a campaign by marketing agency FCB Canada for Adidas to raise the visibility of neuro-divergent athletes.

Marathon and race organisers were urged to reserve bib number 321 for runners with Down syndrome – a genetic condition caused by a third copy of chromosome 21 – to boost visibility for these athletes and ensure their representation in mainstream sport.

Also awarded was ‘The Last Photo,’ a hard-hitting campaign aimed at preventing suicide in the UK, where around 125 people take their own lives every week. 

Under the tagline ‘suicidal doesn’t always look suicidal,’ the last photos taken by people who committed suicide were used to tackle the stigma and urge people to talk about a subject that has long been taboo.

Two French campaigns also went home with awards. The first, Anne de Gaulle by Havas Paris, saw Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport change its name for a week in December 2022 to Anne de Gaulle airport, in honour of de Gaulle’s disabled daughter Anne and the foundation that today bears her name. 

The second, ‘Time fighters‘ by Publicis Conseil for Renault, saw the French carmaker pair up with fire-fighters across Europe to shorten response time to road-side accidents and reduce casualties.

A collaboration between advertising agency McCann’s teams in France and Germany, ‘Opt-Ink‘ for German non-profit Junge Helden, also took home an award.

The campaign transformed tattoo studios in Germany into organ donation opt-in centres, with a bespoke tattoo designed as a mark of donor’s consent, helping address the dire need for live-saving organ donations in the country.

A further three projects were also recognised: Chatpat by FCB India and FCB Chicago, a campaign to boost donations to build orphan homes in India; Blind Seats by MullenLowe Mexico, who paired up with Andrea Bocelli to create inclusive entertainment for people with visual disabilities; and The Emancipation Loan by Circus Grey, which tackled macho culture in Peru and the exclusion of women from financial activities.

MEP Charanzová told Euronews that the winning projects showed excellence in “raising public awareness, bringing attention to important issues and addressing various societal needs.”

“This can lead to greater public understanding, support and, therefore, advocacy for initiatives aimed at enhancing care on a broader scale,” she said.