Earlier this year, we teamed up with dentsumcgarrybowen to launch our first national advertising campaign entitled It’s Hard to Read. The purpose of the bilingual campaign was to raise awareness whilst providing an insight into the daily reality of a child that lives with dyslexia. The campaign also aimed to build empathy, stir curiosity, and dispel myths that surround the learning disability. This was achieved through the distribution of It’s Hard to Read campaign materials online, in print, and on the radio.
“A slight glimpse into my everyday life. I personally struggle more with spelling, memory, and comprehending what I read but everyone struggles in their own ways.”
Online
itshardtoread.org is an immersive experience that provides insight into the day-to-day struggles which those with dyslexia face. As you scroll through the world’s hardest-to-read website, you are presented with facts and statistics about dyslexia whilst experiencing some of the effects of the neurological condition. Although dyslexia is the most common learning disability, there are many misconceptions about what dyslexia actually is and here in Canada, many are prevented from even saying the word dyslexia. The It’s Hard to Read website illuminates this as well as the importance of taking action to ensure every child in Canada has the opportunity to receive a fair and equitable education.
“This is amazing. This dyslexic sends a big THANK YOU!”
Print and radio
The print and radio advertisements distributed across many mediums highlighted the fact that when you’re dyslexic, no story is simple. The print and audio campaign materials retold three famous children’s fairytales making them overwhelming and confusing for anyone to interpret. The purpose of turning these uncomplicated stories into mind-boggling nightmares was to kick-start challenging conversations while educating the public on the fact that dyslexia isn’t just jumbling letters or scrambling words, it’s a complex learning difference where simple sentences can often feel like a foreign language. We wanted the public to be able to feel the frustration, confusion, struggle, and effort needed to read that is felt by many with dyslexia.
“Wow! So confusing! Feeling the frustration! #ItsHardToRead”
“Wow, this is super powerful.”
“Heard [an advert] on the radio yesterday. Tried hard to comprehend the story but failed. A great example of the difficulties faced by children with dyslexia, well done!”
dentsumcgarrybowen
The It’s Hard to Read campaign not only provided insight and understanding for the general public, but also for the creators of the campaign. Below are quotes from the team members behind the impactful advertising campaign.
Julien Thiry - Creative Director
Working on the It’s Hard to Read campaign allowed me first to learn more about dyslexia and the devastating effects it can have on our society. As a father of a 7-year-old boy who has learning problems at school, I have fully realized the importance of Dyslexia Canada's mission and I am proud to have been able to help spread the message for the cause.
Michael Aronson - Creative Director
I grew up understanding the importance of reading. My mother was a librarian who advocated literacy programs for adults, the elderly, and new Canadians. My wife is a published author and I became an advertising writer myself. What I never understood was the pain suffered by those growing up with reading challenges and the associated social alienation. Working with Dyslexia Canada has given me a greater appreciation of the gravity of the condition and the impact it has on individuals and our communities as a whole. I am grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness for Dyslexia Canada and bring needed attention to this worthy cause.
John Foley - Associate Media Director - isobar
The chance to work with Dyslexia Canada on the It’s Hard to Read campaign was a unique opportunity for me. As someone with dyslexia, but who was lucky enough to have support and intervention early in school, I know all too well, that empowering teachers and parents with knowledge around the impacts of dyslexia is critical. The campaign developed by our team here at dentsumcgarybowen effortlessly humanizes the daily reality of being dyslexic, recasting what life can be like when it can be hard to read. This empathetic approach helps put consumers in the shoes of kids, who might have never considered what it really can mean to be dyslexic. What was particularly special was the support this campaign garnered from our media partners who committed significant free media space but felt passionately that their audiences needed to see this message.
Sloan Baron - Account Supervisor
Working on this campaign for Dyslexia Canada was a true honour and eye-opening experience. As someone who previously thought of dyslexia as the mere jumbling of words, the It’s Hard to Read campaign brought to life the complex hardships that people with this condition can face on a daily basis and reinforced the strong need for more education and support in order for children to combat this from a young age. It was a wonderful experience learning from the passionate team at Dyslexia Canada and I am very proud of the work that our teams developed together to raise awareness for this important cause.
Dimitra Georgakis - Managing Director
Getting involved in promoting the It’s Hard to Read campaign was a privilege, in that I was able to learn about something that is so prevalent and important and in turn able to share that knowledge with others. The numbers are eye-opening and as a mom who takes pleasure in reading to her toddler, it reinforces the importance of reading with our children and supporting them through whatever learning disability they may encounter. Moreover, couldn’t be more proud of the work, as lending our creativity to democratize the challenges faced by those with this condition resulted in an impactful and talk-worthy campaign.
“Brilliant campaign by Dyslexia Canada and dentsumcgarrybowen bringing to life the challenges of dyslexia. Reading seems like such a basic skill that we often take it for granted; but for many, that’s not the case.”
It’s Hard to Read is a powerful and memorable advertising campaign that demonstrates the reality and difficulties faced by those with dyslexia. It is a reminder that tasks such as reading and writing which are often taken for granted by many, are extremely challenging and frustrating for dyslexic children. Without raising awareness, inspiring change, and taking action, 15-20% of our population are suffering.
“For me, this level of effort is just a tiny fraction of the effort required for someone with dyslexia to read.”
This campaign is just one of the many initiatives and activities that Dyslexia Canada is involved in. Our mandate is to raise awareness, champion early identification, evidence-based reading instruction, curriculum change, teacher training, and the provision of support for families. We are grateful to work with many great partners who help us tackle each of these areas from different angles as we know it takes cooperation and collaboration.
“As the parent of a child with dyslexia, I was blown away when I saw what Dyslexia Canada and dentsumcgarrybowen did with their new site www.itshardtoread.org. For the first time, I can begin to appreciate what it must be like for a dyslexic person to try and read. This is incredibly powerful in its ability to bring understanding to something that is very misunderstood, and it holds valuable lessons for marketers who struggle to forge connections with their audiences. I urge you to check it out.”
If you’d like to make a difference today, head over to our website to make a donation. If you’re looking for resources and support or alternative ways to support Dyslexia Canada, click here.
Messages from our community
“I was diagnosed with dyslexia when I was 6 years old and again when I was 20 years old. I am now 23 years old. My family hasn’t been the type to have faith in me and they don’t really understand what dyslexia is. They would always ask me or tell me...
”Are you sure you can do that?”
”You’re not going to make out in the world if you can’t read or write”
”You should try something easier”
Even when I graduated college, they still didn’t think I could do anything I put my mind to. Recently I decided I wanted to go back to school and when I was searching for schools, I came across your website, itshardtoread.org, which I thought was really cool and so I sent it to my family. Later that day my family apologized for not taking the time to do their research and understand what dyslexia is and how they could have helped me, and how they will help me going forward. So I just want to say thank you so much for making the website and helping my family understand me a little more.”
“These are outstanding. Great job!”
“I have heard the ad on the radio and love it!”
“Très bien fait!!!”
Awards
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BRONZE: Dyslexia Canada Radio Public Service
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SHORTLIST: Dyslexia Canada Website
MERIT: Dyslexia Canada Radio Series
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SHORTLIST: Dyslexia Canada Online/Mobile Website
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SHORTLIST: Dyslexia Canada Radio
SHORTLIST: Website
SILVER: Dyslexia Canada Website
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SHORTLIST: Dyslexia Canada Integrated Campaign
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SHORTLIST: Digital - Charity/Non-Profit
SHORTLIST: Radio/Audio Campaign - Charity/Non-Profit
SHORTLIST: Radio/Audio Single - Script/Copywriting
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BRONZE: Website - Creative Craft
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WINNER: Website [PSA/Charity Digital Advertising - Single]
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SILVER: Digital Awards Category (Website)