The Brief

The Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH) was facing two interlinked problems: (1) The public subtly discriminates against the visually impaired as they are perceived to be incapable of integrating with the society. (2) Conversely, the visually impaired generally feel a lack of self-confidence to be useful members of the society. These perceptions cannot be further from the truth and SAVH wanted to take a definitive step to debunk them

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

Our insight is blindingly simple: if one cannot see, he hears much better – and that makes him a better listener than those who can see. For the visually impaired, this idea turned their handicap into an asset. We trained 12 visually impaired members of SAVH to become counsellors and set up a phone and home counselling service to the general public – who are oblivious that they were being counselled by someone with a devastating disability.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

The success of the campaign is best measured by the reactions of those who contemplated suicide and sought counselling. After face-to-face sessions, many were humbled and inspired by their disabled counsellors’ courage to live on. In just one month, our unique counselling service has helped over a hundred people find their way and will to live. But nothing beats having the visually impaired being seen in a completely different light.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

It is widely known to people that the visually impaired have a more acute listening ability. By making them listeners to people with problems, we allow them the opportunity to be visible to society and relevant to a very pressing societal problem – a year-on-year increase in suicides. The idea of the visually impaired as counsellors? It is a world-first.