British athletes united for a joint campaign that saw three UK national governing bodies – Team GB, ParalympicsGB and Special Olympics GB – team up with sponsor and media outfit Ocean Outdoor to leverage interest around the 2023 Special Olympics Berlin World Games through a June campaign championing diversity and inclusion titled ‘This Is What A Level Playing Field Looks Like’.
The organisations, all three of which are recognised by the global sports governing bodies the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC), set out to tackle bias and discrimination through the prism of sport in order to redefine what a level playing field ought to look like in all aspects of life.
The campaign was timed to leverage spiking interest around the 2023 Special Olympics World Games (being held in Berlin between 17 and 25 June and it will evolve through additional content rolling out up until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Primarily a digital out of home (DOOH) campaign developed in harness with Ocean Outdoor, the multi-body initiative calls for fairer representation and participation in sport and across society and recognises the importance and contribution of everyone – no matter what their ability, gender, race, sexual orientation or belief.
The creative featured six athletes from the three organisations supporting messages aimed to making socio-cultural opportunities more accessible to diverse and marginalised groups: each case illustrates how sport doesn’t discriminate, so why shouldn’t society beyond the competitive athletic arena?
The Olympic and Paralympic ambassadors fronting the campaign are British rower and World Cup silver medallist Kyra Edwards, Tokyo 2020 silver medallist and European champion Kye Whyte (BMX), British alpine skier and ParalympicsGB’s most decorated winter athlete Menna FitzPatrick MBE as well as her competition guide Katie Guest, as well as Special Olympics GB athletes Mitchell Camp and Lily Mills who compete in track and field and tennis respectively.
The campaign was spearheaded by hero, two-minute full motion OOH film which combined sports action with original photography and was screened on the flagship Piccadilly Lights digital screen in the heart of London from 5 June and then rolled out across other large format outdoor screens in nine cities.
Linked by the hashtag #daretodream, the anchor DOOH spot was amplified across social media with content featuring the athletes as they prepare, train and compete in their competitions.
While Ocean Outdoor also screened footage from the Special Olympics World Games on outdoor screens in 10 UK cities and also hosted a fan zone at Westfield London for a week which was co-sponsored by Toyota.
The initiative is further backed by an in-person event in London where the athlete ambassadors featured in the campaign joined with the governing bodies, corporate partners and sponsors, fellow athletes and guests later in the autumn.
The campaign was created in-house by Ocean Outdoor and was informed by the outcome and findings of a consumer research study conducted through Ocean’s @TheLocal panel which asked the public about their views on equality and inclusion in television, media and advertising.
“This initiative uses the power of sport to speak to inclusivity, overcome prejudice and challenge the culture around marginalised groups,” explained Ocean Outdoor Head Of Content and Sponsorship Kevin Henry. “Our inspirational role models are the faces of an outdoor campaign to reframe conversations about fairer representation without limits. This important project forms part of Ocean’s tri partnership agreement with three of the bodies recognised by the IOC and IPC. It underlines our commitment to upholding the objectives of the Olympic and Paralympic movements and allows us to reinforce and highlight the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.”
Special Olympics GB CEO Colin Dyer Stated: “The campaign will be an incredibly impactful way to shine a light on the continued fight for inclusion across all areas of society, and the role that sport and those who participate in it can play in raising awareness of key issues. I am delighted that Special Olympics GB and our athletes are able to play their part in amplifying this message – particularly with the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin just around the corner.”
ParalympicsGB CEO Dave Clarke said: “As a disabled person I know how important fair representation can be to challenging perceptions and breaking down the barriers we face in our daily lives. This exciting new campaign harnesses the unique power of sport to combat discrimination wherever it exists and demonstrates the potential that lives in each and every one of us. Nothing could exemplify this more than Britain’s most successful winter athlete Menna Fitzpatrick and I am delighted she and Katie Guest feature in this powerful campaign.”
Team GB Head Of Marketing Carly Hodgson added: “The diversity of Team GB is reflective of the diversity of our nation, and we are proud that our athletes and their stories resonate with fans from across Great Britain. Telling these stories is an incredibly important part of celebrating both the athletes’ achievements and inspiring the next generation. We are proud to be supporting this initiative through our partnership with Ocean Outdoor, who share these values, along with our friends at ParalympicsGB and Special Olympics GB.”
Comment
The campaign rolled out as thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities competed at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games. A multi-sport competition which, despite being one of the world’s largest inclusive sports events, are still largely ignored by the mainstream media.
The campaign ran in parallel to other Special Olympics linked GB marketing initiatives such as Special Olympics GB sponsor Coca-Cola’s #RealMagic and Toyota’s #StartYourImpossible activations and the team’s own #CelebrateTheExceptional creative.
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.