Find the missing words: Dentsu Aegis China partners with iRead to improve early years literacy

Dentsu Aegis Network China, this month launches a campaign to improve early years literacy for children in rural areas.  The ‘Find the Missing Words’ campaign was created by a team of young talent in the network, as part of an ongoing commitment to use digital skills and capabilities to empower the next generation to reap the benefits of the digital economy.

A growing body of evidence shows that early learning experiences are linked with later school achievement, emotional development and social well-being. Reading picture books has a beneficial impact on children's language, social development and cognitive skills, critical areas for development as digital technologies reshape the jobs of tomorrow.

With collaboration and support from iRead Foundation, Shanghai United Foundation and the Tencent 99 Charity Program, the team have created a digital picture book experience, designed to show the beauty of stories, inviting users to create their own story and with options to find out more or donate to provide high-quality books for children in rural areas.

The campaign aims to help 5,000 rural families to improve early years and digital literacy through high-quality reading resources.  Since launch 4,000 users have created their own picture book, raising 86,000 RMB in donations for iRead.

Dentsu Aegis offices across China will add further volume to the campaign and ‘donate their voices’ with three recording studios in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.  Their stories will become part of iRead’s system and shared, along with high quality books and reading materials.

Michelle Lau, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network China said: “The social and economic impact of digital technology is both extraordinary and on-going.  But while the digitisation has created progress in many areas, that progress is not shared equally.  Social Impact is our strategy to conquer the ‘digital divide’ and help create a Digital Economy That Works for All. This programme focuses on a critical stage of development and supports the first pillar of our strategy - Digital Skills. By sharing our digital skills and capabilities, we’re setting a target to improve the digital literacy skills of 5,000 rural families”.

Zhe Li, secretary-general of iRead Foundation, said: “Focusing on early years literacy is one of the most effective ways to improve later life opportunities and reduce the development gap caused by differences in educational resources between cities and rural areas as well as by the gap between the rich and poor.  iRead Foundation is a non-profit organization, we are mission-driven, committing to solving social problems by working collaboratively with public welfare organizations and business organizations.  Throughout this project with Dentsu Aegis Network, we’ve felt their openness and trust.  This campaign fills us with confidence that we can continue to improve the quality of children’s reading and inspire a lifetime of learning.”

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For further information contact:

Sarah Weyman

Chief Growth Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network China

E: Sarah.Weyman@dentsuaegis.com

About Dentsu Aegis Network

Part of Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Aegis Network is made up of ten global network brands - Carat, Dentsu, dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum and supported by its specialist/multi-market brands. Dentsu Aegis Network is Innovating the Way Brands Are Built for its clients through its best-in-class expertise and capabilities in media, digital and creative communications services. Offering a distinctive and innovative range of products and services, Dentsu Aegis Network is headquartered in London and operates in 145 countries worldwide with more than 47,000 dedicated specialists