Carly Fleischmann is a non-verbal talk show host who communicates with her guests by using a text-to-speech app on her iPad. We wanted the branding for her show to be as unique and interesting as the show itself.

The branding for Speechless is a pictogram of the keyboard strokes Carly makes to say the show’s name out loud.

Despite the unique approach to branding for this project we still needed the opening credits to feel like a real talk show that people would want to watch like any other interview based tv/web program. By picking a vibrant colour palette, and animating Carly’s thumb prints, finger gestures, and key strokes, we were able to give the show’s opening credits a fun and lively feeling.

With only $500 invested in media, Episode 1 earned over 3.5 million views in its first two weeks.

This earned Carly’s YouTube channel +200,000 new subscribers.

Coverage by mainstream broadcasters included: FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, CBC, CTV, the BBC and press such as Time Magazine, Fast Company, Glamour Magazine, People, Elle, Huffington Post, The Mirror UK, and pop culture blogs Mashable, Stimulant, Buzzfeed, Upworthy and was featured on Ellen Degeneres’ EllenTube and on the popular YouTube series YouTubers React.

Our goal was to reach as many people in the autism community as possible.

Educating parents of the potential of people with autism by using Carly’s story as a point of inspiration would be key to getting them to reconsider their child’s perceived limitations.

One in 68 children in North America will be diagnosed with autism in the coming year. With extensive therapy from a young age, many will have the opportunity to function and contribute to society. Unfortunately, many go without the support they need, sentencing them to a life of dependency, isolation and often mistreatment.

Carly Fleischmann, a 21 year old woman with severe autism and oral motor apraxia (preventing speech) has been on a lifelong mission to educate the world of the potential of people like herself – people who can flourish, if given the chance.

After being the subject of numerous interviews as an autism advocate, Carly stated that she wanted to do the interviewing for a change, and show the world that she could be the world’s first non-verbal talk show host. She named her show Speechless to reflect the viewer’s reaction as much as her own condition.