GOAL:
Move the Para community from a being in a relatively unseen league of their own, to celebrating them with the same legitimacy as any other high-performing human.

STRATEGY:
Take inclusivity to a whole new arena, thinking beyond the under-aired Paralympic Games and instead into familiar popular culture.

But how? Years of experience have shown that in changing the status quo, traction takes time. Which inspired our insight…

INSIGHT:
The perspectives of children today shape the status quo of the world tomorrow.

APPRAOCH:
We looked to areas in culture where the para community deserved a seat at the table, with consideration given to those where children engage with an open mind. And it struck us: while one of the world’s most beloved building toys features doctors, astronauts, athletes and more, it has never truly reflected the parasport community. Until now.

IDEA:
The Para Expansion Pack: a new toy prototype to fit the world’s most beloved building toy, featuring 20 custom minifigure pieces in 7 colours, 11 custom pieces representing individuals with disabilities, and 9 custom pieces representing Paralympic sport, including running blades, a basketball wheelchair and more. Each piece was designed to seamlessly complement existing building toys – expanding every set, for everyone.



ROLL-OUT:
We created a video to showcase the many pieces, configurations, and diversity of figures the expansion pack opened. Then, we directly targeted news outlets across Canada with our innovative program, inspiring them to cover a historically niche topic, and make it a nation-wide part of popular culture. All coverage drove to Paralympic.ca where people could download the files to 3D print the pieces themselves.

RESULTS
Covered across 30 news outlets and earning 3,200+ shares, the site saw visits from 49 countries and an incredible 10,000+ downloads of various Para expansion items in the first two weeks alone.