Channel 4 launches its Rio 2016 Paralympic Games trailer ‘We’re The Superhumans’ – a blockbuster sequel to its London 2012 campaign that blends music with sport and stars 120 people with disabilities including athletes, musicians and members of the public.
The spot forms the core of Channel 4’s ‘Year of Disability’ and aims to show that everyone with a disability can be superhuman – not just the Paralmpians competing in Brazil.
Developed by the broadcaster’s in-house team, 4Creative, the commercial was directed by Blink’s Dougal Wilson and features a swinging Sammy Davis Jr ‘Yes, I Can’ soundtrack recorded by a band of disabled musicians.
The track can be downloaded at http://wearethesuperhumans.com from 16 July with all profits going to the British Paralympic Association.
The core three-minute film premièred on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube on 14 July and was first broadcast on air the following evening.
Media is being handled by OMD UK and, in a tactic designed to ensure most of the UK sees the ad well before the start of the Olympics, it is running heavily in primetime throughout the first week of the campaign.
It comes in various other formats – from 30-second and 60-second cut downs, to subtitled, signed and audio-described versions (the latter by ‘The Last Leg’ presenter Adam Hills whjo’s show will return daily during the Paralympics),
while shorter versions and clips are running across social media platforms.
There’s no such thing as can’t. Introducing our #superhumans trailer. Proud to be the UK Paralympic Broadcaster.https://t.co/ueUs0duWOl
— Channel 4 (@Channel4) July 14, 2016
The flagship film will be supported by a comprehensive set of multi-platform assets and executions.
There is a set of web-led ‘Super Human Story’ spots – each focusing on a stand-out, inspiring individual from the fields of sport and entertainment (many of whom feature in the central film).
For example, while some of the biggest names in Paralympic sport discuss what the word ‘disability’ means to them,
other story spots include racing driver Bartek Ostalowski,
Down’s syndrome MMA Fighter G Money,
8-year-old footballer Cody Rayner,
as well as drumming sensation Alvin Law,
Welsh pianist Rachel Starrit,
and lead singer of ‘The Superhuman Band’ Tony Dee.
Plus, during the fortnight break between the end of the Olympics and the start of the Paralympics on 7 September, Channel 4 will roll out outdoor ads shot by Nadav Kander that feature disabled athletes and non-athletes.
‘Before the Olympics even start, we want to remind people that the Paralympics is this amazing event – we want to capture that in people’s minds,’ explains Dan Brooke, Channel 4’s chief marketing and communications officer.
‘If you’ve got on the agenda before the Olympics start, then people end the Olympics with energy left to go through the handover period and will be ready.’
This core campaign follows on from a teaser phase launched in November 2015 – see case study.
Comment
How do you follow up an award-winning campaign like ‘Superhumans’?
Well, according to Channel 4 you do it by extending the message beyond its original core out in to the wider community.
After all, aren’t most entertainment silos blending with one another these days anyway?
And, after watching this fantastic, inspiring film, we at Activative can’t help but get a bit over excited about September’s Paralympics.
And judging by the 1.5m viewers of the central ad on the official C4 YouTube channel, it is clear we are not alone.
Bring it on!
Links
C4 We Are The Super Humans Web:
http://wearethesuperhumans.com
C4 Paralympics Twitter:
https://twitter.com/C4Paralympics
C4 Paralympics Facebook:
https://facebook.com/C4Paralympics/
C4 YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/channel4
IPC:
Rio Paralympics:
https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics
