Huawei's StorySign app will help deaf children learn to read
Campaign by FCB includes an ad starring 'Silent Child' actor Maisie Sly
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Chinese tech giant Huawei has had a terrible year, punctuated by the recent high-profile arrest of its CFO in Canada--an event that highlights concerns about how the company's products may pose a security threat to its users.
But marketing-wise, Huawei has been trying to highlight the good its products can do for people, most recently, with a new effort designed to help deaf children to read. The company recently debuted StorySign, an app that translates words into sign language. It worked with agency FCB Inferno, animation company Aardman, publishing partner Penguin and local charities affiliated with the European Union of the Deaf to debut the effort, which will be available to download free in 10 markets across Europe.
At launch, StorySign features children’s book "Where’s Spot." Users simply hold their phone up to the words on the page and an avatar, Star, designed by Aardman, signs the story as the printed words are highlighted. The idea is to help parents and children to learn to read together, and at their own pace.
FCB Inferno conceived the app as well as a marketing campaign, including a launch ad seen here. Directed by Chris Overton, who helmed Oscar-winning short film "The Silent Child" and starring Maisie Sly, the seven-year-old deaf actor who appeared in that film, it's a Christmas story about a deaf child struggling to read with her family, but finally learns to love it when she meets Santa one night. "We actually said we’d love to see Maisie in a Christmas film this year - so it’s amazing that it’s happened and that we were all together again,” says Overton.
Credits
- Date
- Dec 11, 2018
- Client :
- Huawei
- Agency :
- FCB Inferno-London
- Chief Marketing Officer :
- Andrew Garrihy
- Marketing Director :
- Avikar Jolly
- Campaign Director :
- Louise Forbes
- Creative Director :
- Martin McAllister
- Managing Partner :
- Hollie Loxley
- Senior Agency Producer :
- Alison Cooper
- Senior Copywriter :
- Ben Usher
- Senior Art Director :
- Rob Farren
- Head of Strategy :
- Chris Baker
- Business Director :
- Joe Pirrie
- Account Director :
- Hannah Thorn
- Communications and Partnerships Director :
- CC Clark
- Senior Producer :
- Bridie Scriven
- Junior Product Manager :
- Livvy Tidd
- Head of Digital Delivery :
- Mike Jenkins
- Creative Production Company :
- DOG EAT DOG
- Executive Producer :
- Mark O’Sullivan
- Executive Producer :
- Harvey Ascott
- Director :
- Chris Overton
- Director of Photography :
- Dan Holland
- Editor :
- Stephen Dunne
- Edit Company :
- Tenthree
- Post :
- Alec Eves
- Post :
- Unit
- Grade :
- Denny Cooper
- Grade :
- Unit
- Music :
- Mcasso
- Composer :
- Richard Atkinson
- Audio :
- Jamie Thomas
- Audio :
- Unit
- App development production company :
- Aardman
- Interactive Creative Director :
- Neil Pymer
- Senior Interactive Producer :
- Hannah Jones
- Technical Director :
- Mark Burvill
- Developer :
- Russ Morris
- Charity Partners :
- British Deaf Association & European Union of the Deaf
- Executive Director, British Deaf Association :
- Damian Barry
- Executive Director, European Union of the Deaf :
- Mark Wheatley
- Creative Director :
- Martin McAllister
- Managing Partner :
- Hollie Loxley
- Senior Agency Producer :
- Alison Cooper
- Senior Copywriter :
- Ben Usher
- Senior Art Director :
- Rob Farren
- Business Director :
- Joe Pirrie
- Account Director :
- Hannah Thorn
- Communications and Partnerships Director :
- CC Clark
- Senior Project Manager :
- Bridie Scriven
- Junior Product Manager :
- Livvy Tidd
- Head of Digital Delivery :
- Mike Jenkins
- Senior Digital Designer :
- Becci Salmon
- Head of Strategy :
- Chris Baker
- Account Manager :
- Holly Holder
- Directors Consultant :
- Rachel Shenton
- Art Director :
- Benedict Lack
- Art Director :
- Samuel Waters
- Stylist :
- Nina Sobers
- Post :
- Jake Saunders
- Hero girl ‘Mia’ :
- Maisie Sly
- Father Christmas :
- Paul Maguire
- Mother :
- Mia Austen
- Father :
- James Teal
- Head of Interactive Production :
- Lorna Probert
- Group Creative Director :
- Dan Efergan
- Interactive Creative Director :
- Neil Pymer
- Senior Interactive Producer :
- Hannah Jones
- Technical Director :
- Mark Burvill
- Developer :
- Russ Morris
- Developer :
- Corin Wilkins
- Designer :
- Sarah Matthews
- Production Assistant :
- Ashley Cornes
- QA Manager :
- Lillie Simpson-Little
- Motion Capture & Post Production :
- Centroid
- Translators & Interpreters :
- Comtec
- Character Designer :
- Simone Giampaolo
- CGI Coordinator :
- Emily Stone
- CG Artist :
- Ben Toogood
- CG Artist :
- Nathan Guttridge
- CG Artist :
- David Klein
- CG Artist :
- Lasse Braendgaard
- CG Artist :
- Signe Tveitan
- Animator :
- Eva Bennett
- Lighter :
- Andy Lavery
- Compositor :
- Jeffrey Dillon
- Compositor :
- Paule Quinton
- Compositor :
- William Fullagar
- Sound :
- Ed Hipkins
- Executive Director, British Deaf Association :
- Damian Barry
- Research and policy coordinator, British Deaf Association :
- Aine Jackson
- Executive Director, European Union of the Deaf :
- Mark Wheatley
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