Town learns sign language for hearing impaired neighbour: Samsung's latest campaign is epic win

On December 28, 2014, Muaharrem stepped out of his house with his sister, into a neighborhood in Istanbul. What seemed like a normal day to this hearing impaired  individual was actually a big day for his sister, the people of the area and a production crew of Leo Burnett. That day everybody in Muaharrem’s vicinity was to speak to him in sign language.

In an attempt to shoot an ad campaign for a call centre for the hearing impaired, Samsung and Leo Burnett conducted month long training sessions for everyone living in the vicinity to learn sign language so they could surprise Muaharrem. They spent a month setting up cameras around vegetable and bagel shops, and taxis.

On the fated day, Muaharrem and his sister ran into many people who responded to him in sign language. Everything was planned in a way where he would meet or bump into people who spoke to him in sign language only.

Confused by the sudden change in his surroundings, Muaharrem was caught off guard and burst into tears when he approached a busy city square, where through a TV screen, a call centre executive explained the entire stunt to him in sign language.

The ad, a 2 and half minute long video, explains the entire process: from setting cameras, to training people to working with Muaharrem’s sister Ozlem. The video now has over 2 million views on Youtube.

The video ends with a message, which the call centre executive also communicates to Muaharrem: “Because a world without barriers is our dream as well.”

Watch the entire video here: