This creative stemmed out of a big idea that my creative partner and I really believed in. The only challenge was we had no budget and they weren't even our client. As a result the first ad (NAIGIEM) was shot on spec in my office and then presented to the International Dyslexia Association. Luckily, they were very receptive to the idea and hired us to do their campaign pro-bono. Shortly thereafter that first PSA went into national rotation in Canada and then went on to be featured in Ad Age, Applied Arts, Cannes Lions, London International, The Bessies and the Marketing Awards. It also gained some notoriety when it was selected for inclusion in the Stanford University MBA Program’s presentation on excellence in advertising by Pontiac/Buick/GMC’s then GM, C.J Fraleigh.
The account grew into an AOR for my agency, Hot Tomali, and I was even invited to join the International Dyslexia Association's board of directors and I sat as their President of the British Columbia Chapter for 3 years.