Virgin and Made By Dyslexia Billboards Champion Dyslexic Entrepreneurs

Following a Cannes Lion Bronze win in June for the launch of DyslexicU, the world’s first University of Dyslexic Thinking, DDB Group in Melbourne has once again partnered with Made By Dyslexia, Virgin, Virgin StartUp and Virgin Unite to launch a nationwide OOH campaign, supported by JCDecaux UK, to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Taking over 46 prime digital poster sites in cities across the UK for two weeks – including Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield - the creative celebrates that one in three entrepreneurs are dyslexic and that Dyslexic Thinking is behind many world-changing inventions such as the car, lightbulb and smartphone.

​Psembi Kinstan, chief creative officer at DDB in Melbourne, comments, “The campaign brings to life the fact that one in three entrepreneurs are dyslexic and challenges long held misconceptions about dyslexia. We wanted to celebrate the ingenuity that Dyslexic Thinking brings to the world and remind people that these skills have powered inventions that shape the way we all live today.”

Joe Hills, head of nurture at JCDecaux UK comments, “We’re proud to be a part of this important campaign and to use the power of the public screen of Out-of-Home to reach audiences in cities across the UK. Out-of-Home advertising has a unique ability to connect with people as they go about their daily lives, making it the perfect platform to celebrate ‘Dyslexic Thinking’ and to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

To support those who are already carving out a career as a dyslexic business founder, Virgin StartUp – Virgin’s home of entrepreneurship in the UK - is launching a first-of-its kind, free business programme called 'Momentum', to help dyslexic entrepreneurs scale their businesses, using their unique Dyslexic Thinking skills.

Dyslexic Thinking is famously the driving force behind many of the world’s most successful brands including Apple, Ikea, Virgin and Jo Malone.

Sir Richard Branson has famously spoken about how his dyslexia has helped him build one of the world’s most recognisable brands; Virgin, which started in 1970 as a mail order business and now has nearly 50 businesses across 34 countries and six different sectors.

Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, commented, “Much of my success as an entrepreneur comes from my Dyslexic Thinking. It’s my superpower. Dyslexic Thinking has enabled me to see the world differently and find new solutions to old problems that businesses were struggling to address. The world needs dyslexic entrepreneurs more than ever, so I’m delighted to support this campaign and I am looking forward to hearing the stories behind the dyslexic founders who join the Virgin StartUp programme.”

​Kate Griggs, dyslexic social entrepreneur and founder of global charity Made By Dyslexia
is on a mission to empower Dyslexic Thinking across the world.

Kate said, “Entrepreneurs are the engine of the British economy – and research shows Dyslexic Thinking fuels at least one in three of them. To boost growth, create jobs, and move the nation forward, the UK has never needed Dyslexic Thinking more. We hope that this campaign will inspire the next generation of dyslexic entrepreneurs and encourage Dyslexic Thinkers across the country to consider how they could use their unique skills to build the innovative businesses of tomorrow.”

While Made By Dyslexia, in collaboration with Richard Branson and Virgin, successfully campaigned for 'Dyslexic Thinking' to be added as a noun in the dictionary and as a skill on LinkedIn, many dyslexic entrepreneurs continue to face outdated misconceptions and a lack of tailored support to harness their strengths at scale when it comes to running their own business.