Nearly half the public—48.91%, according to a 2023 study—believe too much focus is placed on an individual's disability rather than their abilities.
The Paralympics — the sporting tournament that occurs every four years following the conclusion of the Summer Olympics — pose a powerful opportunity to contrast this narrative and showcase the strength and peak of human performance on a global stage.
This year, three advertisements challenge outdated stereotypes and stand out above the rest.
Apple's unified track
Apple's ( (AAPL) ) new Paralympic advertisement, "The Relay," challenges the traditional separation between Paralympic and Olympic athletes by lining them up side by side in two team relay—teams composed of mixed adaptive and non-disabled athletes.
This visual metaphor breaks the stigma of separation and paints the complete picture that these athletes train, practice, sweat, and compete the same way.
There's a perception that these athletes compete in separate worlds, but that's not the reality, as Jack Cunningham, a featured athlete, shared his thoughts with Ad Age: "As adaptive athletes, we compete with non-disabled athletes all the time. The thing that's new is seeing it on screen, But when I race, I just compete with my friends like everyone else. When you line up on the starting line, no one is thinking about what you do or don't have. You just want to win."
Apple has created more than just an advertisement; it has also made a statement about our perception of athletes.
“The Relay’ is a great example of how media can change perceptions and tell powerful untold stories. The authenticity, meaningful intention, and beauty of the film honors competitive athletes across all abilities.” said Kara Sterner, Chief Marketing Officer of the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
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Orange's 1.71-second difference
Orange ( (ORAN) ) Telecommunications' advertisement challenges the bias of how people perceive peak athletic performance.
The ad juxtaposes the Olympic and Paralympic Men's 1500m T-13 final, showing clips highlighting the identical visuals, emotions, and intensity between both races.
However, it reveals a surprising twist — it's not the presence or absence of disability that sets these athletes apart. It's 1.71 seconds — the margin by which the Paralympian outperformed the Olympian.
With this campaign, Orange Telecommunications aims to challenge the perception that disability is the defining difference in athletic performance.
As the campaign's tagline, "When you love sport, you love sport," encapsulates, sport is made for athletes, for competition, and the drive to excel—where the passion to succeed transcends physical differences.
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Citi behind the lens
Citi's ( (C) ) latest Paralympic campaign challenges the often disability-related question, "What happened?" by shifting the narrative from their impairment to their remarkable achievements.
This shift highlights Paralympians' resilience and excellence, steering the conversation away from their disabilities and toward their triumphs.
The campaign's photographer, Jordan Nicholson, brings a personal perspective to the project as someone living with TAR syndrome.
Nicholson emphasizes the importance of having a photographer with a similar background to the athletes, saying, "I can't speak to all people with disabilities experiences, but I know that as someone living with TAR Syndrome, I do feel an immediate connection with other folks also living with a disability. All our experiences vary greatly, but I think it's nice to have at least one common touch point."
His connection to the athletes he photographs allows for images that capture the raw, powerful moments before and after competition—moments that often go unseen.
"We wanted to capture photos that felt like they could be right before or after the big race or match," Nicholson explains. "Those quiet but epic moments surrounding the competitive scenes we're typically used to seeing."
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