Reading Makes You You – Edelman 2022 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Reading makes you, you. - | Clapboard Ad Archive

Reading Makes You, You is Edelman’s expansive campaign for the New Worlds Reading Initiative, a literacy program stewarded by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning in partnership with Scholastic, designed to shift the conversation around reading from a technical competency to a personal catalyst for identity formation in Florida’s K-5 students. Structured as a multi-year, cross-channel awareness push, the campaign pivots away from test-prep tropes and performance anxiety to instead emphasize reading’s power to make children who they are and who they might yet become. The creative approach — rooted in insights about parents, caregivers, educators, and community allies as the primary levers of household literacy outcomes — purposely avoids celebrity, testimonial, or dramatic episodic narratives, choosing instead to deploy symbolic language and visuals that conflate the act of reading with the act of growing into oneself. By championing the availability of a free, at-home reading program for eligible students across Florida, the campaign seeks to reposition the New Worlds Reading Initiative as not just another after-school supplement, but as a profound touchpoint in a child’s emotional and intellectual maturation. In creative terms, this is an approach that sits squarely in Clapboard’s FORMAT#9—Symbolize the Benefit: it leverages metaphor and abstraction to elevate literacy into an act of self-creation, shunning overt product demos or didactic claims in favor of a quietly persuasive rationale for family engagement. In a crowded educational landscape populated by incumbents like Scholastic, Amplify, Lexia Learning, Reading Rockets, and Renaissance Learning — each carving distinct niches in technology, media, adaptive content, and research-to-practice expertise — Reading Makes You, You differentiates through its invitation for caregivers to see the stakes of literacy as existential rather than transactional. With its focus on inclusive, community-based messaging delivered via film and integrated media, Edelman positions the initiative not only as accessible but crucial, driving both awareness and practical next steps for enrollment among half a million targeted families. The campaign earns 63/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. At a moment when education marketing is awash in performance metrics and app-based solutions, Reading Makes You, You signals a shift toward values-driven storytelling that frames literacy as a lifelong, identity-shaping resource.

Credits

Agency

Edelman

Executive Creative Director

Isidoro Debellis

Creative Director

Rodrigo Bistene & Katie Dropick

Senior Creative Team

Laura Walsh & Nancy Zhu

Producer

Lizzie Shook

Project Director

Ashley Mendez

Account Management

Kyrsten Aspegren & Nikki Todd & Kate Linkous

Directors

The Hudson Dusters, Greenpoint Pictures

Music

Paola Altamirano & Raul Garcia, Animal Music

Post Production

Lorenzo Bombicci, Cosmo Street

Color

Quinn Alvarez, Apache

Category Mind Map

48%

The "Reading Makes You, You." campaign, developed by Edelman for the New Worlds Reading Initiative, centers on the premise that a child’s reading experiences fundamentally shape their identity and future success. The campaign’s core proposition is that early literacy is not merely an academic skill but a foundational element of personal development, positioning the initiative as an essential resource that empowers families to support their children in achieving grade-level reading proficiency. By emphasizing literacy’s role in forming who children become, the campaign frames reading as both a practical skill and a meaningful, identity-shaping experience. Strategically, the campaign leverages a multi-touchpoint, cross-channel approach grounded in insights about the influencers of children’s reading success—namely parents, caregivers, educators, and community allies. It targets this broad, interconnected audience with tailored messaging that balances raising awareness of the New Worlds Reading Initiative and driving program enrollment, particularly among eligible K-5 students in Florida. The creative narrative adopts an emotional, identity-focused lens to resonate with caregivers’ aspirations for their children’s growth, fostering a sense of responsibility and motivation to engage with the free literacy program. This insight-driven strategy aligns media assets and messaging to not only inform but also inspire action, aiming to instill a lasting love of reading that supports literacy development and academic achievement at scale. Through this nuanced alignment of message, target, and media, the campaign seeks to establish the New Worlds Reading Initiative as a trusted and accessible resource instrumental to children’s long-term educational outcomes.

FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT — Uses symbols or exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact. This campaign, "Reading Makes You, You," centers on the insight that a child’s reading experiences shape their identity and future. Rather than demonstrating the program directly or telling a story with a problem/solution structure, the messaging symbolically links reading to the formation of self — suggesting that reading doesn’t simply teach skills but fundamentally influences who a child becomes. The title itself acts as a symbolic statement, and campaign language frames reading as transformative, thus using abstract representation to convey the benefit of literacy. No specific narrative, celebrity, testimonial, or direct demonstration cues are present; the format most strongly inferred is the symbolic illustration of reading’s profound, identity-shaping benefits. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Scholastic Corporation – Market Positioning Scholastic leverages its extensive publishing and educational resources to provide comprehensive literacy programs and classroom solutions. It emphasizes evidence-based reading interventions paired with engaging, age-appropriate content to boost student literacy outcomes, positioning itself as a trusted partner for educators and families nationwide. 2. Amplify – Market Positioning Amplify differentiates by integrating innovative technology and data-driven personalized learning tools to enhance reading skills. Their adaptive curriculum is designed to meet individual student needs, supporting educators with actionable insights to accelerate literacy development and engagement among K-5 learners. 3. Lexia Learning (a Cambium Learning Group brand) – Market Positioning Lexia Learning positions itself as a leader in adaptive literacy solutions, combining cognitive science and technology to provide individualized reading instruction. Their program supports educators with real-time progress monitoring to ensure students develop critical reading skills at their own pace. 4. Reading Rockets – Market Positioning Reading Rockets focuses on equipping parents and educators with research-based strategies and multimedia resources to support reading development. Their advocacy and outreach emphasize inclusive literacy education and actionable guidance for early readers, making them a prominent knowledge hub in the literacy space. 5. Renaissance Learning – Market Positioning Renaissance Learning offers comprehensive assessment and reading practice solutions designed to increase student achievement. Their data-rich platforms guide differentiated instruction and motivate students through gamified reading activities, positioning themselves as innovators in literacy measurement and engagement.

Q: What is Reading makes you, you. about? A: Reading makes you, you. is a 2022 campaign developed by Edelman for the New Worlds Reading Initiative, targeting the education sector in the United States. The campaign was created to raise awareness of a free at-home literacy program for eligible K-5 students in Florida, administered by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning in partnership with Scholastic. Its central creative idea is rooted in the belief that reading experiences fundamentally shape a child’s identity and future, positioning literacy as a transformative force in personal development and academic achievement. Q: What creative device does Reading makes you, you. use? A: Reading makes you, you. employs FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT, as defined by Clapboard’s 12-format classification system. This approach uses symbols and exaggerated visuals to represent the positive impact of reading, linking the act of reading to the formation of a child’s identity. Rather than relying on direct demonstration or narrative testimonials, the campaign frames reading as a transformative, identity-shaping experience, using abstract representation to convey the deep, lasting benefits of literacy. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Reading makes you, you.? A: The campaign proposition for Reading makes you, you. centers on the idea that early literacy is not just an academic milestone but a foundational element of personal growth. The brand positions the New Worlds Reading Initiative as an essential, accessible resource for Florida families, empowering parents, caregivers, educators, and community allies to help children achieve grade-level reading proficiency. By highlighting the identity-shaping power of reading, the campaign aims to inspire engagement with the free literacy program and foster a lifelong love of reading among K-5 students. Q: How does Reading makes you, you. rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Reading makes you, you. holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards. Q: Who are the competitors in New Worlds Reading Initiative's category? A: In the literacy and early education category, New Worlds Reading Initiative competes with several key players. Scholastic is known for its comprehensive literacy programs and evidence-based interventions, while Amplify differentiates through technology-driven, personalized learning tools. Lexia Learning leads in adaptive literacy solutions grounded in cognitive science, Reading Rockets serves as a knowledge hub with research-based strategies for parents and educators, and Renaissance Learning specializes in assessment and gamified reading practice to drive student engagement and achievement.