Vision Australia has launched a video series, the 'Pupil Project', aimed at addressing misconceptions about people with low vision disabilities.

The series features three Australians with lived experience of low vision, showcasing their everyday experiences and challenges. The campaign was developed in collaboration with ethical advertising agency, The Open Arms, and Array Productions, with individuals with lived experience involved at every stage.

According to research commissioned by Vision Australia, two in three Australians are unsure how to assist people with low vision. This lack of understanding is concerning, especially as Australia's low vision population is projected to increase by 25% by 2030. The 'Pupil Project' seeks to educate the public about this growing demographic.

"Low vision is a clinical term for permanent vision loss that can't be corrected by glasses. However, unlike someone who is blind, people with low vision won't typically carry a white cane or have a Seeing Eye Dog. They appear to be just like you and I," explained Vision Australia National Brand and Marketing Manager, Kristy Richards.

The campaign videos are audio-described and use a unique lens to simulate common causes of low vision, such as cataracts, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and macular degeneration. This innovative approach provides viewers with a glimpse into the world of those living with these conditions.

"Our research highlighted that more than half of Aussies believe they've never interacted with someone who has low vision, despite there being almost half a million people living with this vision disability in the country," Richards adds.

The campaign is being rolled out across social media, digital and earned media, with out-of-home advertising planned for later in the year. Inclusivity resources related to the campaign are available on the Vision Australia website.

"Knowing that there is an appetite from people to learn how they can help is fantastic. It assured us that this is something that people wanted to hear about and wouldn't be easily ignored," Richards said.

The campaign's tone was carefully considered to avoid compassion fatigue, a common issue in advocacy messaging.

"With the help of ethical advertising agency, The Open Arms, we were careful in the way we delivered our advocacy messaging. Like other brands, we're aware that consumers are becoming increasingly compassion fatigued, so we wanted the tone of our videos to be witty, fun and upbeat, while inviting viewers to educate themselves on the topic," Richards said.