IPC’s #BeyondIncredible Promotes Doha '15 Via My Incredible Story Film Series

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) began its campaign promoting the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in early September – marking the 40-days-to-go countdown – with an introductory ‘My Incredible Stories’ spot and the #BeyondIncredible hashtag to promote ticket sales for the Middle East’s biggest ever para-sport event.

All proceeds from tickets sales for Doha 2015 (which runs from 21 to 31 October at Qatar Sports Club) are being donated to charity and to mark the start of the sales push the Organising Committee launched an overview ad introducing its series of five inspirational films – each telling the incredible stories of some of the competing athletes.

The campaign’s umbrella objective is to showcase the challenges and journeys of the world’s para-athletes to raise awareness about para-sport and people with a disability, to break down barriers and change perceptions.

While the overview spot aims and to to drive viewers online to buy tickets at http://doha2015.q-tickets.com/.

This coincided with the launch of the first film about Brazilian para-sprinter Terezinha Guilhermina’s remarkable journey from poverty to Paralympic hero.

Growing up with 12 siblings, Guilhermina refused to let her childhood challenges associated with a degenerative eye condition stand in the way of her dreams and with hard work and family help she achieved her goal of becoming the fastest blind athlete in the world at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

‘During my childhood, our financial situation had a very deep impact on my life, on the way I looked at the world. I believe those who have little in life can sometimes achieve a lot more. I used to dream of being the best in the world, so I could change my story. Sport has had an amazing impact on my life. I went from being Terezina Guilhermina, the one who dreamed, to Terezina Guilhermina, the one who achieved her dreams.’

The next online video in the ‘My Incredible Story’ series, released on 24 Sepetmber, was that of fellow para-sprinter Jarryd Wallace – a US athlete who’s led was amputed below the knee at 19 and who went on to win the 23011 Parapan Games.

Posted on 6 October, sprinter Giusy Versace story follows her life changing 2005 accident which resulted in losing bother her legs to the Italian lifting 11 national titles and breaking the European record.

The following week, the IPC rolled out a film abouthope told through the eyes ofThuraya al Zaabi – the first women to represent the UAE in the Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008.

The series finished on 19 October with a film for the future telling the story of Ghanim al Muftah – a 13 year old Ghanim born with Caudal Regression Syndrome (a rare disorder which impairs the development of the lower spine).

His story starts with doctors giving him little chance of survival by doctors initially, to surprising everyone and inspire people around the world with his determination and his dreams of becoming a future Paralympian.

‘The motto of the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships is ‘Beyond Incredible’. We want to use the World Championships to show the incredible stories behind some of the athletes that are competing in order to raise awareness of para-sport and people with a disability,’ explains His Excellency Dr Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari (President of the Local Organising Committee and Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee).

‘We want to help break down barriers and change perceptions. We are excited to welcome the world best para-athletes to Doha and hope everyone will join us to witness what promises to be a truly exhilarating competition.’

The IPC, the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement and the International Federation for nine sports developed the ‘My Incredible Story’ campaign with the organising committe and worked with agency H+K Strategies.

‘We have no doubt that the World Championships will inspire and amaze spectators from around the world. We encourage everyone to get their tickets and support the athletes as they showcase their outstanding abilities and challenge to become the greatest para-athletes on Earth. We are expecting an electric atmosphere in the stadium and multiple world-records are likely to be set. Nothing will compare to being able to witness the incredible action live,’ said Ameer Al-Mulla, CEO of the Local Organising Committee and President of the Qatar Paralympic Association at the ticket sales launch event.

Comment:

Emotional sports storytelling is probably the most powerful form of property owner advertising and sponsor activation possible and this series confirms that statement.

More than 1,400 athletes from 100 countries are competing in the world’s biggest single para-sport event in Doha and each has their own inspirational story to tell.

Other campaigns launching a month before the start of the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships included prize-based initiatives from sponsors Qatar Airways and Ooredoo.

Qatar’s national airline Qatar Airways, the Official Carrier of the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, launched a social media competition in harness with the IPC’s own campaign.

Called ‘Your Inspiration’, the airline offered a prize of two business class flights to Doha for the World Championships to incentivise people around the world to share their own ‘My Incredible Story’ film and tag the person that inspires them.

As part of its partnership role Qatar Airlines is also transporting athletes, their families and delegations, media and international spectators for the World Championships.

While in the weeks leading up to the event, Qatar based international communications company Ooredoo launched a social media competition offering iPads prizes to those posting selfies of themselves with their World Championship tickets.
‘Ooredoo is honoured to be sponsoring the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships. We are a company that cares and connects, and it is our aim to focus on the issues that mean the most for the people of our country,’ commented Ooredoo Qatar CEO Sheikh Saud bin Nasser al-Thani.

‘The IPC Athletics World Championships will raise awareness of para-sport and people with a disability, helping to change perceptions across our nation. Ooredoo is pleased to be able to play our part in making a sustainable impact on Qatar and the community with our Supernet network.’

‘We are extremely grateful to have the support of Qatar Airways and Ooredoo, two of Qatar’s most successful companies. These partnerships will be crucial to helping us to maximise the impact of the World Championships across the whole region by sharing the stories of the incredible athletes that will be competing in Doha in October, and spreading awareness about para-sport,’ said LOC president and Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) secretary general Dr Thani Abdulrahman al-Kuwari.
Links

Links

IPC Doha 2015 Website:

http://www.paralympic.org/doha-2015

International Paralympic Committee Website:

www.paralympic.org

International Paralympic Committee YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ParalympicSportTV

International Paralympic Committee Twitter:

https://twitter.com/IPCAthletics

@IPCAthletics

https://twitter.com/paralympic

@Paralympic