AT&T - Feel the Music
Expanding Access for Deaf Music Fans
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Project Overview:
Building on AT&T’s work in developing technologies and services for people with disabilities, we designed a social campaign to expand access among an overlooked segment of music fans: the Deaf and hard of hearing. At the heart of the program was an American Sign Language (ASL) video, produced in partnership with triple-platinum, alternative pop band Walk the Moon and the Deaf Professional Artists Network (D-PAN). “Feel the Music” invited Deaf music fans to create their own ASL interpretations of the video, celebrating the personal and universal aspects of music. The campaign generated 53 million impressions and earned coverage from outlets including NBC News and CNET.
My Role:
Inspired by the ASL interpreters I had seen signing on stage at Austin City Limits Fest, I came up with the campaign concept (a bonafide social media first!) and brokered the partnership with D-PAN.
“Though the Deaf and hard of hearing community has long produced music videos using American Sign Language, this is the first involving a large corporate sponsor and a high-profile band, whose push on social media could raise awareness of the art form.”
— CNET, Nov 8, 2015
Involving the deaf community: We worked with D-PAN to hire a deaf director (Jules Dameron) and an all-deaf cast.
Raising awareness: Walk the Moon was reportedly so moved by the experience that it was talking with D-PAN about featuring ASL signers on stage at its concerts. The band is also learning to sign the key lyrics of the song.