Wunderman Thompson and Microsoft collaborate to launch inclusive toolkit for those with dyslexia

Wunderman Thompson and Microsoft have launched a new toolkit to promote the technology company’s inclusive tools during Dyslexia Awareness Week.

It’s estimated that up to 20% of the UK population have dyslexia, but many still lack the support they need to excel at school, work and general life.

Those with dyslexia have unique thinking skills – cognitive flexibility, creativity, visualisation and complex problem-solving abilities – that are invaluable to workplaces. Businesses, particularly those in the creative industries, should proactively invest in their neurodiverse talent, and technology today means that those with dyslexia can now be as productive as they are communicative and creative.

Integrated marketing agency Wunderman Thompson and Microsoft are empowering those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse abilities to use inclusive technology to reach their full potential, unleashing their unique skills and mindset.

The campaign follows a series of successful pilot workshops, firstly the Dyslexia Boot Camp for school-age children at Microsoft’s Reading Campus and later at the Microsoft Experience Centre on Regent Street.

The campaign launched on 3rd October, the first day of Dyslexia Awareness Week, encouraging those with dyslexia to ‘Be You’, with a microsite, social campaign and workshop centred around empowering people to be their best selves with inclusive technology. The bespoke microsite will feature a range of snackable content around Microsoft’s inclusive tools, delivering demos on how technology can do the heavy-lifting in everyday life. The microsite will highlight new ways for those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse abilities to use tools like Immersive Reader, Dictate, PowerPoint Designer, Quicker Starter and Office Lens.

Kelly Monday, Microsoft Consumer Channel Sales Director for UK & Ireland says: ‘Dyslexia is a mainstream accessibility need, and  these Microsoft tools could make all the difference to people’s everyday lives, empowering them and changing the perceptions of those who are neurodiverse, helping them focus on their strengths.  As a proud dyslexic myself, I wish I’d had the opportunity to embrace this technology and had access to what’s available today, I struggled at school, lost confidence and had to build a number of coping strategies that would mask my Dyslexia. ‘Covering’ was exhausting. Through these workshops, I have seen first-hand the positive impact these tools have, giving kids confidence and creating awareness and helping others with dyslexia has been my main objective. I’m immensely proud of what we’ve been able to achieve through our ongoing work with Wunderman Thompson since 2019.’

San Sharma, Creative Director at Wunderman Thompson says: “’Be You’ is all about empowering people to excel, whatever their learning ability. It’s an immense privilege to work on a campaign like this that genuinely helps people – and with people that have the lived experience to deliver creative that really resonates.”

Jonothan Hunt, Senior Creative Technologist at Wunderman Thompson says: “Microsoft’s inclusive tech makes a huge difference in education and the workplace.

Showing these tools to one person can make a huge difference. The chance to bring them to the nation is incredible.”

Source: Wunderman Thompson

  Dyslexia, Inclusivity, Microsoft, UK, Wunderman Thompson