Blind Foundation makes headline news through an unexpected crew swap via YoungShand

At 6pm on Monday, 29th of October, New Zealand tuned in to watch Newshub. What viewers didn’t realise is that members of the crew who usually deliver the news had been swapped out for new ones – Blind Foundation clients living with no or low vision.

The News Crew Swap, created by YoungShand and brought to life through a Newshub collaboration, was a demonstration of what people living with low or no vision can achieve with the support of the Blind Foundation services.

Says Anne Boothroyd, creative director, YoungShand: “On a limited budget, we needed an idea that would not only drive mass awareness of the Blind Foundation services but also live up to their vision of enabling ‘a life without limits’ for people who are blind or have low vision.”

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Working together, the Blind Foundation and Newshub provided the crew with the training and support they needed to bring New Zealand the news, as they worked across a range of essential newsroom roles.

Says Sandra Budd, chief executive, Blind Foundation: “Through our services, we help people with low or no vision to live independently and with confidence. The Crew Swap was a compelling demonstration of this. Running a live newsroom is a challenging job, so what better place to show what can be achieved with the right support, than this fast-paced environment.”

The Newshub team revealed the Crew Swap to the New Zealand public, live on air, during the 6 pm news broadcast. The news story, fronted by reporter Mitch McCann, revealed the crew members involved in the swap and included the striking graphics created by Dan Holt, one of the Crew Swap members.

The Crew Swap was driven by the need to shed light on the increasing prevalence of Kiwis living with vision loss, and to encourage New Zealanders to take a fresh look at the Blind Foundation and its services. With an ageing population, it is estimated 350,000 New Zealanders will be living with age-related macular degeneration in 2030 – an increase of 70% from today.

Says Louise von Sierakowski, GM marketing, Blind Foundation: “With a tight budget, a broad service offering, and a wide target audience, it was a tough brief. The talented and creative team at YoungShand took this in their stride, apparent in the strength of the Crew Swap idea and their genuine care in bringing these stories to life. The optimism and authenticity of the campaign is already resonating with the public, and changing perceptions about the abilities of people who are blind or have low vision.”

The Crew Swap was made possible by advertising agency YoungShand and the team at MediaWorks. The campaign was brought to market live on Newshub, followed by appearances on The Project, The AM Show and Radio Live, before being amplified across radio, social media and ThreeNow.

Says Emma Dalton, client service director, YoungShand: “It’s a credit to our clients and the team at YoungShand and MediaWorks that we were able to create this unique campaign that played out within the newsroom environment and was launched live, as part of the 6pm news. This is our first campaign with the Blind Foundation and we look forward to more success working with Louise and her team in the future.”

For more on the campaign visit: www.crewswap.co.nz

Agency – YoungShand

Creative Director – Anne Boothroyd

Creative Director – Scott Maddox

Copywriter – Erin Mattingly

Client Service Director – Emma Dalton

Senior Account Manager – Daniel O’Leary

Strategy Director – Jesse Kelly

Senior Producer – Kat Cox

Production Company – Wanted Films

Media Partner – MediaWorks