• by Aaron Baar , February 28, 2014

The training to become a world-class athlete is intense, draining and difficult, and that rings true regardless of whether that athlete uses special equipment or other accommodations to compete in his or her chosen sport.

As the 2014 Paralympic Games approach (with the end of the 2014 Winter Olympics), Samsung has launched a campaign to show that the disabled athletes competing on the world stage work just as hard and are just as strong (and deserve as much respect and attention) as their able-bodied counterparts. The campaign, from 72andSunny Amsterdam, shows that in the eyes of sport there’s no ability or disability; all that matters is the determination of athletes to meet their goals. 

A 90-second online video, which goes by the title “What’s your problem? Sport doesn’t care,” intermixes the training routines of several Paralympians, which are just like those you see for other world-class athletes. There are early-morning wake-ups, grueling workouts, harsh weather and fear of failure. As the athletes complain about not being “a morning person,” the ice and cold, images show them wiping out on the slopes, taking dips in therapeutic ice baths and tending to daily family life. “My whole body hurts. Every muscle hurts. I can’t sleep,” say the voices of several different athletes before cutting to shots of them competing in the Paralympic Games, before ending with the line: “You know what my real problem is? I hate losing.”

“We want people to realize that the Paralympics are just as exciting as the Olympic Games and these videos are meant to raise awareness around sport and defy stereotypes in what can be considered as a more untraditional or provocative way,” a Samsung representative tells Marketing Daily. “There is no disability in the eye of sport, just energy and determination of athletes.”

The campaign is an expansion of a similar effort Samsung began for the 2012 Paralympic games in London. This year’s effort will expand upon those begun in London to “expand the Paralympic Movement among the general public,” according to the representative. In addition to the videos, Samsung used its technology to provider easier access to entertainment and other facilities in Sochi. 

“We believe that this partnership will provide hope and inspiration to people with disabilities by breaking down barriers and allowing them to take up Paralympic sports when they may not have previously been able to,” the representative says. “We believe our Paralympics sponsorship, in particular, has contributed positively to highlighting our commitment as a good corporate citizen. [And], as a result of these partnerships, we want more people to get involved, take part and support the Paralympic Games.”

The campaign will run globally on TV networks including CNN, BBC, CNN, Euro News and Euro Sport, as well as on Samsung’s social channels, “bringing this campaign to a greater audience beyond those solely tuned in to the Paralympic Winter Games,” according to the representative.