Case Study | CNIB Braille Bottles
ABOUT THE CLIENT
CNIB is comprised of three separate organizations driven to provide programs and services to the blindness community in Canada:
Celebrating 100 years in 2018, the CNIB Foundation is an organization driven to change what it is to be blind today. They deliver innovative programs and powerful advocacy that empower people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion. Their work as a blind foundation is powered by a network of volunteers, donors and partners from coast to coast.
Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada is a provincially funded healthcare organization designed to provide professional, high-quality and sustainable rehabilitation to Canadians with vision loss now and into the future.
CNIB Deafblind Community Services is one of Ontario’s leading providers of specialized support and emergency services for people who are Deafblind.
THE OBJECTIVE
CNIB reached out with a project for their "Orientation Week" - a weekend long event at their CNIB Lake Joseph facility to onboard their staff on all things CNIB!
Three staff teams would be attending training - CNIB Foundation, Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada and CNIB Deafblind Community Services. So, they wanted a tactile water bottle for their employees to use that showed each of those organizations’ brandings.
THE SOLUTION
Our first instinct was to see if we could add braille to the bottles. Knowing there were products out there that offered this in production, we wanted to pitch it to the CNIB. This would take the bottles to a new level, as they would be both useful and inclusive to the seeing impaired.
They loved it! The result is this branded organizational bottles that are personalized with braille. The style and functionality of the bottle captures exactly what CNIB wanted for this event.
WE ASKED CNIB:
Can you explain why having a product that includes braille is so important?
Created in 1892 by Louis Braille, braille is a raised six-dot cell system that helps people who are blind or partially sighted read with their fingers. It’s a key to literacy, education, employment and success in life.
As organizations dedicated to changing what it is to be blind today, it was imperative that we provided our staff, who are a mix of sighted, partially sighted and blind individuals, with items that were not only visually pleasing, but also practical and tactile. Being able to offer not only a tactile logo but also braille on the water bottles as a huge must for us. This item was something we had been wanting for quite some time.
THE OUTCOME
The executive leadership team and staff who received the water bottles were over the moon with how they turned out. The staff who are blind and partially sighted said they felt appreciated in being given something they were able to “see” the design of.
Since the retreat, the water bottles have been spotted all across the country as staff returned home. Additionally, more departments have requested orders for their own teams and donors!
This is a hopeful step for promo, providing solutions for people with disabilities. We hope to find more products that can include braille, and are accessible to a wider range of people.
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