Dyslexic children are often labeled unintelligent because they have trouble reading and writing. Parents and teachers assume their child is a slow learner and doomed for failure. The Dyslexia Association of Malaysia came to us with a challenge: raise awareness for dyslexia and change the negative mindset of parents and teachers. We worked with Vince Low, a professional artist and dyslexic, and created a unique illustration style that aptly represents the confusion in the minds of dyslexics as they try to make sense of the words they read. Using chaotic scribbled lines, we turned madness into method and formed beautiful portraits of dyslexic icons, which simply ran as posters and Facebook posts. These portraits spread across social media and were subsequently picked up by websites and news portals all over the world. To date, the campaign has created over 30 million media impressions and approximately USD500,000 worth of free PR coverage. But best of all, the association saw an increase of 50% in dyslexia assessment (as compared to the same period last year). Through Vince and his drawings, people not only became aware of dyslexia but also saw how gifted dyslexics can be.

The first 3 portraits drawn by Vince (Lennon, Picasso and Einstein) were simply made into posters and placed at schools, tuition centres and clinics. We also ran the posters in several print publications and billboards in the city. However, Facebook and Twitter played a major role in helping us spread the word. Social media gave Vince a bigger platform and allowed the world to see his talent. When Vince’s unique art style began to get recognition, he drew another series of portraits titled 'Faces', featuring 9 famous personalities. These images were shared solely on Facebook. In just 1 month, Vince’s work was featured not only in dozens of art publications, but also news portals from around the world including The Daily Mail UK and Huffington Post. What started out as a low-budget local awareness campaign turned international with millions of media impressions and free PR coverage too!

Vince’s drawings not only garnered attention from parents and teachers in Malaysia but also blogs and news portals from all over the world, including The Daily Mail UK and Huffington Post in the US and France. As his unique art style gained recognition, people instantly connected any portraits with scribbled lines to Vince and ultimately to dyslexia. Many became aware of the learning disorder through Vince and his drawings. For those with dyslexia, Vince gave them a voice and inspired them to find their potential. To date, the campaign received:

• 50% increase in dyslexia assessment at the DAM centre (compared to the same period last year)

• Over RM1.6 million free PR coverage (approx. USD500,000)

• Over 30 million media impressions

• Over 200,000 views and nearly 20,000 appreciations on Vince’s portfolio on Behance.com

• Vince’s current fans and friends on Facebook: 4,974