FCB Inferno and Pearson Create ‘Daunting World’ Campaign for Project Literacy

FCB Inferno continue their work with Project Literacy, by drawing attention to the challenges associated with the issue of adult illiteracy, with the ‘Daunting World’ campaign. Project Literacy is a movement founded and convened by global education company Pearson to help advance global literacy.

FCB Inferno partnered with advertising legend Mark Denton to create a series of images that bring to life some of the challenges faced by adults who struggle to read and write. The suite of eye-catching photographs taken by and Art Directed by Mark, show everyday objects such as detergent bottles, greetings cards and board games. On closer inspection of the image, the viewer will realise that these are 'pack shots with a twist' as the message on each object explains the challenges these everyday objects can present for people who cannot read.

The stories that have been brought to life are real, having been relayed to the Project Literacy team by the newly literate adults they have been working with as part of the campaign. One image of a medicine bottle, for example, directly reflects the story told by Wanda, a newly literate adult from Philadelphia, USA, who movingly described the anxiety she felt each time she had to give her children medicine when they were sick because she could not read the instructions on the packaging.

These ‘ads with a difference’ are currently rolling out in print and across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with the goal of raising awareness about the challenges nearly a billion people across the world face, every single day, because they cannot read and write. 

Mark Denton’s resume is one of the most acclaimed in the industry, having won numerous advertising awards, directed over 500 commercials, and managed his own agency – making him a clear choice to bring these images to life in a bold, clever and accessible way.