Changing the game for the blind

I love simple ideas that enhances the way people experience something they love. What they love can seriously be anything and brands do exceptionally well when they start looking at other ways they can connect their audience to the thing they love (usually the product of the brand). This idea from Dublin does just that, but what I love about it even more is the fact that it has a real purpose. When an idea actually improves peoples lives it just makes that idea that little bit more meaningful. This is why ideas and innovation are so important.

Thinking of all the senses

When I was living in London, there was a restaurant called Dans le noir, which means “In the dark.” True to its name, the dining experience was in complete darkness, heightening the other senses like taste, smell, and sound. The waitstaff were all blind, which deepened the impact and authenticity of the experience. It’s fascinating how our senses adapt and amplify to compensate for the loss of one. Imagine, for example, attending a live sporting event as a visually impaired person; it would be a completely different experience, shaped by crowd reactions and other sensory inputs.

Field of vision

This device helps the blind keep track of where the ball is on the field, pair this up with commentary and you start to get an experience which gets closer and closer to 20/20 vision. The Field of vision device works by tracking the ball on the pitch and moving a little circle accordingly on a tablet like device. The user places their finger on the circle and keep track exactly where the game is being played on the pitch. It uses the idea of brail and literally helps visually impaired people 'feel' the game that they can't see.

With all the other senses heightened, I would argue that the users of Field of vision are actually getting a more immersive experience.

You can read the whole article on the CNN website here'

Foxtel Sports Australia

When I was working in Australia at CHE, we worked on the Foxtel account which included sport. One project in particular we called the 'Hurt shirt' later renamed the 'Alert shirt'. This campaign, led by Tom Wenborn and Sam Harris, played with the idea of bringing people closer to the game as they watched their favourite footy team on the telly. I was the digital Art Director on the campaign and worked with the team to develop a shirt which had a vibration system that reacted in different ways depending on what was happening on the field. Kind of like a playstation controller. It was a huge success picking up multiple awards all around the world.

Think of the senses

The take away from these campaigns is - think about how you can connect with the different senses of your audiences. Is your product all about taste? How do you connect with people through sound. Is your product something you wear, how does that taste. This will open up all sorts of different avenues for your audience to connect with you, and the best part - your competitors are unlikely to do something similar.