Caption With Intention.
An open-source caption system that shows Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers how a line is said, not just what is said, with animated words, expressive type and colour-coded speakers.
- Brand
- Chicago Hearing Society
- Agency
- FCB Chicago
- Market
- USA
- Region
- Global
- Year
- 2025
The challenge
Closed captions have barely changed since the 1970s. The D&AD entry: 'For 50 years, filmmaking has evolved, but captions haven't—only telling Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers what was said, but not the intent behind it.'
The idea
FCB Chicago, the Chicago Hearing Society and Marc Forster's Rakish Entertainment created a caption design system in which words animate in sync with speech, the type changes size and weight to show tone and volume, and colour identifies each speaker. The agency's Clio entry says it was refined over ten months with a 125-person panel from the Deaf community. It was released as an open-source system, free for studios, streamers and production houses (Reel Chicago), and Cannes Lions lists the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences among its clients alongside the other two partners.
Case study source: Reel Chicago Source ↗
Awards
- Clio Awards 2026Clio Awards / Branded Entertainment & Content / OtherGold
- Clio Awards 2026Clio Awards / Creative Disruption / DesignGold
- Clio Awards 2025Clio Entertainment / Design / Identity PackageGrand Clio
- Cannes Lions 2025Brand Experience & Activation – A05 MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENTGrand Prix
- Cannes Lions 2025Titanium – A01 TITANIUMTitanium
- Cannes Lions 2025Brand Experience & Activation – E07 CORPORATE PURPOSE & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYBronze
- Cannes Lions 2025Brand Experience & Activation – E09 CULTURAL ENGAGEMENTSilver
- Cannes Lions 2025Design – B01 INCLUSIVE DESIGNGrand Prix
- Cannes Lions 2025Entertainment – E01 DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN ENTERTAINMENTGold
- Cannes Lions 2025Creative B2B – A03 INNOVATIVE USE OF CONTENTBronze
- Clio Awards 2025Clio Entertainment / Partnerships & CollaborationsGold
- Cannes Lions 2025Digital Craft – A06 UX & JOURNEY DESIGNGrand Prix
- Cannes Lions 2025Digital Craft – D01 INNOVATIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGYGold
- Clio Awards 2025Clio Entertainment / InnovationGrand Clio
- Clio Awards 2025Clio Entertainment / Fan Engagement / DesignGold
- Cannes Lions 2025Entertainment – E06 CULTURAL ENGAGEMENTSilver
- Cannes Lions 2025Innovation – B04 SOCIETAL INNOVATIONGold
- Clio Awards 2025Clio Entertainment / Public Relations / Social GoodGrand Clio
- D&AD 2026: a Yellow Pencil, eight Graphite Pencils and three Wood Pencils
Credits
- Partner
- Chicago Hearing Society
- Creative partner
- Rakish Entertainment
- Partner
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
