The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is encouraging the public to offer a proactive helping hand in offering assistance to people coping with sight loss.
Devised by purpose-driven agency GOOD, the 45-second spot aims to educate Britons about the simple steps they can take to make the world most easily navigable for people affected by sight loss.
Running across social media, out-of-home and radio, the creative is presented from the point of view of blind and partially sighted people and looks to entertain viewers at the same time as raising awareness.
“Our current world isn’t accessible to blind or partially sighted people, so creating allies is an important step in educating, inspiring and making the UK a more inclusive place for all. With that in mind, we created a campaign to help people recognise the barriers faced by those with sight-loss, so that they are better placed to do something about it,” GOOD Agency executive creative director, Bryn Attewell said.
“We worked very closely with RNIB and ensured that lived experiences was at the heart of the campaign ,to make sure that the guide itself could be as helpful as possible. After all, who better to show the nation how to assist blind and partially sighted people, than blind and partially sighted people themselves?”
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The charity’s ‘Be Helpful’ guide will help people give assistance to blind or partially sighted people embarking on unfamiliar journeys, highlighting the complex and challenging situations that they may find themselves in.
RNIB director of engagement, Nina Walker added: “RNIB research tells us that almost 9 in 10 blind or partially sighted people may need some help when they’re making an unfamiliar journey. It was very important to us to centre the Be Helpful Guide around that stat, to put the voices of people with sight loss at the heart of this campaign and to let the actors starring in the campaign film share their lived experiences.
“The online guide is free to access, and it’s backed up by research that shows the things we can all do to help – and some real don’ts too. It’s never OK to take someone’s arm without asking if they need help first – but you’d be surprised how many blind and partially sighted people still experience that.
She continued: “We hope the Be Helpful guide will help people to feel more comfortable and confident in offering assistance, so that we can all make it easier for blind and partially sighted people to get around.”
