ADC Awards
The ADC Annual Awards is the oldest continuously running industry award show in the world. Now in its incredible 102nd year, these awards celebrate the very best in advertising, digital media, graphic and publication design, packaging and product design, motion, experiential and spatial design, photography, illustration and fashion design all with a focus on artistry and craftsmanship.
Category
Experiential Design / Guerrilla / Stunt
Annual ID
ADC101_EXP012B
About the Work
Over 6 million people in Germany cannot read and write properly. The majority of which suffer from dyslexia, a reading and spelling disorder. But the real problem is not dyslexia, it’s our society. In the age of social media, every spelling mistake, no matter how small, is immediately punished and interpreted as stupidity. However, dyslexia does not mean a lack of intelligence, but a neurological disorder.
As one of Germany’s biggest soccer clubs, the HSV wanted to set an example for those people affected and launched a very special campaign on a very special match day: the top match of the 2nd Bundesliga on Saturday night. In front of hundreds of thousands of viewers, the HSV sent two players onto the pitch with intentionally misspelled names. "Heyer" became "Heya" and Meffert" became "Meffort". Just as people with dyslexia often mix up letters that sound or look similar.
We did not comment on the misspelled player names. But a social media shit storm was soon to follow. During the halftime break, when the negative reactions had reached their peak, we clarified our actions on TV, inside the stadium and on social media.
Daily newspapers, sports media, and tabloids: Throughout Germany, our jerseys made headlines. Within a few hours, we reached more than 267 million contacts. Three mixed-up letters turned into more than 2.4 million euros of media value. But there’s more: The reactions of fans and followers also changed abruptly. Hate and malice turned into understanding and encouragement. Even those affected and their relatives spoke out.
This way, we were able to show more than 6 million people that they are not alone. And that the HSV is actively supporting them with its numerous initiatives. So that all fans can enjoy football the same.
As one of Germany’s biggest soccer clubs, the HSV wanted to set an example for those people affected and launched a very special campaign on a very special match day: the top match of the 2nd Bundesliga on Saturday night. In front of hundreds of thousands of viewers, the HSV sent two players onto the pitch with intentionally misspelled names. "Heyer" became "Heya" and Meffert" became "Meffort". Just as people with dyslexia often mix up letters that sound or look similar.
We did not comment on the misspelled player names. But a social media shit storm was soon to follow. During the halftime break, when the negative reactions had reached their peak, we clarified our actions on TV, inside the stadium and on social media.
Daily newspapers, sports media, and tabloids: Throughout Germany, our jerseys made headlines. Within a few hours, we reached more than 267 million contacts. Three mixed-up letters turned into more than 2.4 million euros of media value. But there’s more: The reactions of fans and followers also changed abruptly. Hate and malice turned into understanding and encouragement. Even those affected and their relatives spoke out.
This way, we were able to show more than 6 million people that they are not alone. And that the HSV is actively supporting them with its numerous initiatives. So that all fans can enjoy football the same.
2022 Awards
Total Points: 9
Bronze Cube
Credits
Agency
Jung von Matt AG / Hamburg
Art Director
Hannah Wahlmeyer
Ralf Bierhenke
Copywriter
Cora Hänel
Gregor Ryl
Julian Rader
Creative Director
Felix Umbach
Executive Creative Director
Alexander Michaelsen
Ronnie Patt
Motion Designer
Michelle Sitko
Account Director
Yannick Maser
Managing Director
Katja Kraus
Robert Zitzmann
Communications Manager
Jonas Klee
Consultant / PR
Jan-Luca Lossau
Creative Producer
Maximilian Helmer
Head of Digital & Innovation
Robert Kosinski
Head of Sponsoring
Felix Appelfeller
Project Manager Sponsoring
Jakob Lauschner
Vanessa Horn
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