The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Scope Maltesers Mars

Maltesers marks World Braille Day with London billboard as it continues inclusive disability campaign

Author

By Rebecca Stewart, Trends Editor

January 4, 2017 | 3 min read

Maltesers is continuing its efforts to champion inclusively and better represent disability in the media with a one-off braille billboard in London.

Maltesers Braille ad

Maltesers marks World Braille Day with London billboard as it continues inclusive disability campaign / Maltesers

To mark World Braille Day, which is celebrated on the 4 January each year, the confectionery brand has put live a special build OOH dispay in Farringdon. The poster is made entirely of Braille; a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired, with the dots formed of model-made Maltesers.

The move follows on from the Mars-owned company's much lauded Paralympics spot, which was produced for Channel 4 after the firm won the network's 'Superhumans Wanted' competition which offered advertisers the chance to win £1m worth of airtime to develop a creative idea that put disability and diversity front and centre.

The braille billboard is the latest iteration of the same 'Look on the Light Side' campaign, which saw three TV adverts featuring disability debut during the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony last year; including the first ever TV ad to air entirely in sign language.

Mars' vice-president of marketing, Michele Oliver, said she believed the brand has a responsibility and a role to play in championing greater inclusivity in its advertising and communications.

"This small-scale activation is a natural next step in our ambition to get closer to our consumers; by normalising disability in advertising and communications, and using humour to challenge preconceptions," she added.

Danielle Wootton, head of marketing at disability charity Scope, said: "Disabled people often tell us they rarely see their lives reflected in advertising campaigns and the media and that mainstream advertising remains inaccessible - this innovative billboard challenges both issues.

“We are also delighted that Maltesers has continued its campaign to shine a light on the awkwardness that all too often surrounds disability. Scope’s own research shows that half of the British public don’t personally know anyone disabled and two-thirds of people admit to feeling awkward about disability.

"Campaigns like these are vital in helping to overcome this awkwardness and ensuring that disabled people are more visible in the media and public life."

The advert, which was created by AMV BBDO will be accessible for all through a combination of audio description and a translation hosted on Maltesers' UK Facebook page. It will be on display until 15 January.

Scope Maltesers Mars

More from Scope

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +