Wavemaker UK and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) have collaborated on the first-ever accessible campaign with LADbible Group, to spark conversation, understanding and action for the blind and partially sighted community.
Insight from RNIB shows that only 2 in 5 people in the UK feel like they have a good understanding about the lives of blind and partially sighted people. So, with a combination of entertaining social-first video, interviews and editorial content with blind and partially sighted content creators, RNIB will bring people with sight loss into the heart of LADbible’s content.
‘Blind Hijackers’ launches across the social publishers’ most loved brands LADbible, SPORTbible, Tyla and GAMINGbible, with RNIB taking over their website homepages for a full day.
A new episode of the show ‘Honesty Box’ will feature Toby Addison (@blindtobes), taking on questions submitted directly from the LADbible community, to allow the sighted member audience to get an accurate, in-depth view of his experience of living with sight loss in a super familiar way.
Additional content on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram will also include Toby teaching a sighted five-a-side team how to play blind football, a self shoot ‘Get Ready With Me’ video from RNIB Ambassador Claire Sisk (@canseecantsee) and RNIB Ambassador Amit Patel (@blinddad_uk) and Azeem Amir (@azeem_amir99) hitting the streets to find out if there really is a North vs South divide, through the public’s non-visual senses.
By showcasing the lived experiences of these charismatic content creators, it highlights how all audiences can connect more effectively when popular media (online and social) formats are accessible to all.
This first-of-its-kind collaboration is part of the wider RNIB #BeforeYouAsk campaign strategy to see the person, not the sight loss, which aims to raise awareness of and dispel misconceptions about sight loss.
As part of this initiative, LADbible has reinforced its commitment to accessibility by adapting its content with features like screen-reader compatibility, alt text and providing accessibility training for its teams. These steps aim to make content accessible while inviting audiences to engage meaningfully with blind and partially sighted people’s stories.
Ann Wixley, Executive Creative Director at Wavemaker UK explained: “This partnership with RNIB and LADbible is the perfect example of how a strategic creative collaboration has the potential to drive social change. By engaging people through their favourite media channels with accessible content, these blind and partially sighted creators are using their passion to change perceptions and understanding of their community. At the same time, it’s a blueprint that other social and media platforms can follow to ensure their content is accessible and resonates with all. We’re excited for the positive impact this second #BeforeYouAsk will have.”
Vivienne Francis, RNIB’s Chief Social Change Officer, said: “The aim of RNIB’s #BeforeYouAsk campaign is to use humour and familiar scenarios to address misconceptions and make people think. The content we have created as part of the LADbible Group ‘hijack’ should be a fantastic way to cut through to new audiences – as well as draw them into being a part of the changes we need to see in society to build inclusion.
“By tapping into and contributing to popular culture, with the support from this impressive cast of blind and partially sighted creators, we can raise further awareness of what it’s like to live with sight loss. We also hope it will go some way to encourage other media channels to build accessibility into their campaigns from the start and create more inclusive content.”
LA Ronayne, Executive Creative Director, at LADbible Group said: “We feel really privileged to partner with RNIB and Wavemaker to celebrate the blind and partially sighted community, reimagining our content to create a deeper understanding and connection. We hope this campaign is a step towards creating a more inclusive and accessible media landscape for everyone”.