Title	STORYSIGN
Brand	HUAWEI
Product/Service	HUAWEI
Category	F03. Innovation & Solution
Entrant	FCB INFERNO London, UNITED KINGDOM
Idea Creation	FCB INFERNO London, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Placement	WAVEMAKER London, UNITED KINGDOM
PR	FCB INFERNO London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production	DOG EAT DOG London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 2	TENTHREE EDITING London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 3	UNIT London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 4	MCASSO London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production 5	AARDMAN ANIMATIONS Bristol, UNITED KINGDOM
Additional Company	HUAWEI London, UNITED KINGDOM

Name	Company	Position
Owen Lee	FCB Inferno	Chief Creative Officer
Fred Levron	FCB	Worldwide Creative Partner
Martin McAllister	FCB Inferno	Creative Director
Ben Usher	FCB Inferno	Senior Copywriter
Rob Farren	FCB Inferno	Senior Art Director
Bridie Scriven	FCB Inferno	Senior Creative Producer
Livvy Tidd	FCB Inferno	Creative Producer
Mike Jenkins	FCB Inferno	Head of Digital Delivery
Hollie Loxley	FCB Inferno	Managing Partner
Joe Pirrie	FCB Inferno	Business Director
Hannah Thorn	FCB Inferno	Account Director
CC Clark	FCB Inferno	EMEA Director of Communications
Nikki Chapman	FCB Inferno	Director of Production
Alison Cooper	FCB Inferno	Senior TV Producer
Chris Baker	FCB Inferno	Head of Strategy
Andrew Garrihy	Huawei	Chief Marketing Officer - Western Europe
Avikar Jolly	Huawei	Campaign Director - Western Europe
Louise Forbes	Huawei	Campaign Lead - Western Europe
Jonathan Bunkall	Huawei	Head of Media - Western Europe
Christopher Howett	Huawei	Digital Media Director - Western Europe
Mark O'Sullivan	Dog Eat Dog	Executive Producer/Producer
Harvey Ascott	Dog Eat Dog	Executive Producer/Producer
Chris Overton	Dog Eat Dog	Director
Dan Holland	Dog Eat Dog	Director Of Photography
Stephen Dunne	TenThree	Editor
Alec Eves	UNIT Media	VFX Artist
Richard Atkinson	Mcasso Music	Composer
Neil Pymer	Aardman Animations	Interactive Creative Director
Hannah Richmond	Aardman Animations	Senior Interactive Producer
Mark Burvill	Aardman Animations	Technical Director
Russ Morris	Aardman Animations	Developer
Sarah Matthews	Aardman Animations	Senior Interactive Designer
Ashley Cornes	Aardman Animations	Interactive Production Co-ordinator
Damian Barry	British Deaf Association	Executive Director
Mark Wheatley	European Union of the Deaf	Executive Director
Jamie Willard	Wavemaker	Client Partner
Paterno Odong	Wavemaker	Activation Partner
Anne Lenne	Wavemaker	Account Director
Pierre Paoli	Wavemaker	Strategy Director
Henna Emilia Tavi	Wavemaker	Digital Account Manager
Andrew Hay	Wavemaker	Account Executive

Background

Huawei, the world’s second largest smartphone manufacturer, challenged us to bring to life their brand promise – ‘push the limits of what is humanly possible.’ So we identified a human problem their technology could help solve. There are 32 million deaf children in the world, and most of them struggle to read. This is because deaf children don’t learn to read like hearing children. They can’t learn phonetically, so they struggle to match words with sounds. This has a hugely negative impact on their education and their futures. In fact, research shows that it takes 21 years for deaf children to catch up with their hearing peers. We agreed three key objectives: • Use innovative mobile technology to open the world of books to deaf children • Raise awareness of deaf literacy issues • Improve Huawei brand perception

Describe the creative idea (40% of vote)

To change the story of deaf literacy we needed an idea that offered real change to a generation of deaf children using Huawei’s mobile technology. We created the first global literacy platform for the deaf – StorySign. A ground-breaking free app, StorySign scans the words in children’s books and instantly translates them into sign language, using the most advanced signing avatar ever. This helps the world’s 32 million deaf children learn to read and sign with their families, which has a positive impact at school and on the rest of their lives. Huawei AI makes the app faster and more accurate for our core audience, deaf children aged 0-5 (key for reading development) and their families. Available on Android and IOS, StorySign also brings to life Huawei’s promise to ‘push the limits of what is humanly possible’ to a broader global audience, by showing AI solving a truly human problem.

Describe the execution (40% of vote)

Executing StorySign took an alliance of world-class partners. 12 international deaf charities ensure StorySign is designed with the needs of deaf children at its heart. Testing with families resulted in an innovative user experience. Hold your smartphone over the words in children’s books, and StorySign translates them into sign language. Words are highlighted in sign language order to reinforce that crucial link between words and signs. Huawei’s Kirin AI chip means StorySign is more accurate, can read text at up to 45°, and works in low light for bedtime stories. Oscar-winning Aardman Animations created ‘Star’, the most advanced signing avatar ever. Every detail appeals to deaf children, from her age (because children learn better from siblings), to her hearing aid (to destigmatise deafness). Penguin Random House, the world’s leading publisher, are adding their huge library of books, so deaf children can enjoy the same stories as their hearing friends.

List the results (20% of vote)

“This technology can change the future of an entire generation.” Mark Wheatley, European Union of the Deaf. StorySign has made such an impact in the deaf community and on Huawei’s brand that they are keeping the story going, with a $500K donation to deaf literacy projects and future expansion confirmed. Results have exceeded every objective. Use innovative mobile technology to open the world of books to deaf children: •Available on Android and IOS •Launched in 11 countries •Supported by 12 international deaf charities •69 books so far •American Sign Language now available, which is used across the US, Canada, Africa, Asia and Central America Raise awareness of deaf literacy issues: •1.5bn+ global reach •128m+ app film views •1000+ pieces of international coverage Improve Huawei brand perception: •+19.9% within 2 months Selected media reaction: •Forbes: “A portal to a whole new world.” •Wired: “AI translates kids’ books into sign language.”