CHALLENGE

For people with sight loss, the Covid-19 pandemic turned their world upside down. With social distancing rules and new shop layouts, navigating public spaces became almost impossible for them. With their freedom taken away overnight and no guidance from the government, we wanted to raise awareness of the issue and push for change to help the BPS community and inform the public on what they can do to help.

THE APPROACH

The #WorldUpsideDown campaign took the iconic Piccadilly Lights site, Europe’s largest digital billboard and turned the ads upside down to highlight the problem. Creating an unmissable visual that stopped passers-by in their tracks and generated PR to land our important message to be aware, be kind, and offer help. We teamed up with some of the world’s biggest brands who donated to land a place on the billboard, raising much needed funds for the RNIB at a critical time.

To push the campaign further, we encouraged other brands and the public to turn their respective logos/pictures upside down on social media to help spread the word and show support.

RESULTS

Crucially, in the midst of a pandemic it got the sight loss community on the agenda becoming the most tweeted topic by MPs on launch week. Leading the government to change its policy so people with sight loss could be guided by someone outside of their household again.

We turned social media upside down with our campaign hashtag trending on Twitter and reaching 77% of the UK. Donations from the brands on the billboard reached over £80K before the campaign even launched. It brought the discussion to prime-time news and even drove brands like IKEA and P&G to commit to sight loss training for their entire workforce. By changing perceptions and behaviours, the UK became a safer place for the sight loss community.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People - World Upside Down

CREDITS

Local partners

Gold partners