Only an estimated 0.5% of Dutch people master NGT. This means that the vast majority of Dutch people find it hard to connect to hearing-impaired and deaf people. Simultanuously, for hearing impared and deaf people this dis-connect is a big challenge in their everyday life.

As a telecom provider, T-Mobile is on a mission: ‘We won’t stop until everyone is connected.’

So, when T-Mobile learned about the emancipation of the deaf community, this got them thinking...

Can we make creative use of technology, to break bubbles and create more connection between hearing people and hearing-impaired people? T-Mobile challenged us to find ways to create awareness for NGT and get students interested in learning the basics.

We noticed something interesting: dance content on TikTok often resembles sign language! This observation sparked the idea for Sign Dance: an activation that mixes education with a dose of music and entertainment, making it enjoyable and effortless to learn the basics of sign language.

The star of the activation is Court, a 21 year old performer who is deaf. With him, we created 'Body Language', a track with lyrics inspired by common opening lines. We developed a choreography that incorporated NGT translations of the lyrics, along with tutorials and a TikTok effect to encourage participation.

To engage our audience, we collaborated with creators from various subcultures. Additionally, we created tutorials for social media, DOOH, and educational toolkits for schools.

Our lively tutorials were everywhere: online, in public transport hubs, and classrooms. And anyone who interacted with them now knows how to flirt in NGT!

It is our loss that most of us are not able to connect with hearing impaired people. To break bubbles, we aimed to reach students nationwide and introduce them to a new language and a rich culture.

The challenge is that most students already feel overwhelmed with classroom time. So, we took a different approach and launched an activation on TikTok, the space where they voluntarily spend time learning new things!

Our approach was to tap into existing trends and use the power of media and culture to amplify them.

With so many talented young social media creators who are deaf, it only felt right to empower them and give them a stage.

To engage our audience, we explored all the creative possibilities TikTok offers, from music and dance to special effects and creators. And we used these tactics not only on TikTok, but also outdoor and in classrooms.

Teaming up with artist Sor – who is hard of hearing - we crafted 'Body Language,' a playful track with a BPM of 100, ideal for both TikTok and people who are hearing impaired.

Choreographer Sigourney K. and 20Hertz - a dance collective with people who are hard of hearing - collaborated with us on a choreography that seamlessly integrated NGT translations of the lyrics.

Combining these elements, we developed a TikTok Effect to make it easy and fun to participate. The magenta frame of the TikTok Effect bounces to the beat, ensuring accessibility for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

To engage our audience, we explored all the creative possibilities TikTok offers, from music and dance to special effects and creators from different subcultures. And we used these tactics not only on TikTok, but also outdoor around public transportation hubs and bars and even... in classrooms!

Our goal was to raise awareness for NGT by demonstrating how easily the basics can be learned.

Court's heartfelt story resonated with many people, the hearing and the hearing impaired. The TikTok Effect designed to help users practice 'Body Language' was used over 30,000 times. Including by teachers, incorporating it into their classrooms. Court even received a shout-out from Justina Miles, the deaf performer known from Rihanna's famous Superbowl halftime show! 

The overwhelmingly positive response motivated us to share Court’s initiative with news and lifestyle media outlets. As a result, we received interview requests from prestigious TV, radio, and publishing platforms.

With Court's initiative garnering a total of 30 million impressions, we can say we’ve definitely made our mark. Sign Dance has not only sparked a new level of awareness but has also inspired direct action. This leaves us highly optimistic about TikTok as a platform to break down barriers!