Vision Ireland
The Challenge
We the People was tasked with a comprehensive rebranding initiative for the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI), one of Ireland’s most respected and oldest healthcare NGOs. Coupled with this rebrand was the development and delivery of a huge public awareness campaign.
The Approach
In 2023, the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) rebranded as Vision Ireland, marking a once-in-a-century transformation. The new name aimed to reflect the organisation’s broad services and forward-looking ambitions, enhancing awareness among existing and potential service users. More than a name change, it symbolised a renewed commitment to Vision Ireland’s mission, supported by PR activities, influencer collaborations, and celebrity engagement.
An internal campaign ensured alignment across all levels of the organisation. Targeted communications and training sessions fostered a unified understanding of Vision Ireland’s direction. To support the transition, a logo lock-up and animation were created for use throughout the first year, alongside an innovative ‘sonic brand’ to improve recognition for those with severe sight impairments. Comprehensive guidelines, including AAA-compliant colour palettes and accessibility guides, ensured continuity and inclusivity.
A photoshoot featured real service users styled in Vision Ireland store clothing, focusing on their personality and confidence rather than their disability. These inclusive, relatable images set a friendly tone for the campaign and helped the public see themselves as part of the Vision Ireland community.
To enhance the paid Out of Home campaign, store windows were used as additional billboard space, with full takeovers at six high-profile sites, including Camden Street and Rathmines in Dublin. Posters were displayed across the nationwide store network to further the campaign's reach.
We the People ensured Vision Ireland’s brand identity met the highest accessibility standards, rigorously testing materials to achieve WCAG 2.1 and AAA compliance where possible. The groundbreaking ‘sonic brand,’ created by transposing the braille from the logo into a melody, provided an auditory representation of the brand. This melody was recorded with voice actors representing key campaign characters, offering a warm, welcoming extension to the brand identity.
The Results
The advertising campaign for Vision Ireland was meticulously planned and executed across a range of platforms, ensuring widespread visibility and engagement throughout the country.
Out of Home
The campaign achieved broad visibility through a range of out-of-home advertising. Nationwide 48-sheet billboards ensured wide coverage across the country.
Transvision screens, strategically placed in the main concourses of key transit hubs, reached 1.3 million people. Luas columns and straplines extended this reach further, engaging an additional 1 million commuters.
The Dublin Digipanel network showcased the campaign across 52 screens in high-footfall locations, delivering 170,382 plays. Meanwhile, Digishelters, situated at 70 strategic shelters across Dublin, accumulated 268,306 plays. The campaign’s radio efforts on RTÉ Radio 1 and 2FM combined reached an impressive audience of 4.3 million listeners.
Press and PR
The campaign garnered extensive and overwhelmingly positive media coverage, with 218 pieces reaching over 15 million people. Notable highlights included a feature on The Late Late Show, a three-page spread with Victoria Smurfit in Sunday Independent Life Magazine, and articles in Silicon Republic. Additionally, an opinion piece in the Irish Independent by Paul Kelly, Chair of Vision Ireland, added weight to the campaign’s narrative.
Social Media
The campaign saw substantial growth across social media platforms. Facebook and Instagram channels experienced a +100% increase in followers, with Facebook visits alone rising by an extraordinary 132% compared to the month prior to the launch. The combined total reach across both platforms exceeded 500,000 accounts, driven by a remarkable 206.9% surge in Facebook reach.
Engagement also flourished, with Facebook interactions climbing to 2,118—up by 201.7%—and Instagram interactions reaching 1,086, a 260.8% growth. Link clicks followed a similar trend, increasing by 23% on Facebook and an impressive 96.3% on Instagram.
Vision Ireland has already seen a significant change in two key areas:
The overwhelming majority of service users feel they are now much more represented by the organisation.
Practitioners have a better understanding that Vision Ireland supports the entire gamut of people who have a vision impairment. This will ultimately lead to an increase of referrals and service users.