The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is looking to smash through misconceptions around Paralympic Games’ competitiveness with a hard-hitting new campaign.
Developed by creative agency Adam&EveDDB, ‘The Paralympic Dream’ showcases the fierce competition and mind-blowing athleticism on display throughout the Paralympics in an effort to dispel stereotypes about their ‘friendly’ nature.
Centred around a partially-animated 60-second spot, a peaceful, dreamlike world is brought crashing down with real footage from past games that illustrate the truth about their gruelling physicality.
Marking the 100-day countdown to this year’s games, the spot will look to drive viewership and interest ahead of the Paris event by giving viewers a glimpse of the fast-paced, ultra-competitive Paralympic sports.
“Over the last 75 years, Para sport has grown from a small gathering of injured war veterans to the games becoming the world’s third largest sporting event watched by billions of TV viewers,” IPC chief brand and communications officer, Craig Spence said.
Subscribe to Marketing Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest marketing news sent straight to your inbox each morning
“But despite its stratospheric growth there are many who still see the Paralympics as first and foremost an idyllic event where the athletes are just carefree and happy to be there.
“Adam&EveDDB’s new film debunks this myth in the most fun and creative way possible.”
Resulting from a collaboration between Adam&EveDDB’s London and New York offices, the campaign will run online via the IPC’s owned channels and will be pushed out to 185 global markets.
Directed by Sam Gainsborough through BlinkInk, the film has been produced in nine different languages, with executions across TV, online and social with audio described and subtitled versions additionally created in English to provide greater accessibility.
Adam&EveDDB global chief creative officer, Richard Brim added: “We’re super proud of this piece of work for the International Paralympics Committee out of New York with strategic support from London.”
“When people talk about the athletes taking part in the Olympics, they tend to talk about them competing and yet when they talk about them taking part in the Paralympics, they talk more about them participating. What is that about?”
