The Brief

The campaign’s objective was to drive global support for the Refugee Olympic Team, celebrating the power, resilience, and potential of refugees while shining a spotlight on the growing refugee crisis. With over 100 million displaced people worldwide, the challenge was to turn this overwhelming statistic into a human story that inspired connection, solidarity, and action during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

How the campaign worked

The ‘1 in 100 Million’ campaign transformed a daunting statistic into a rallying cry for human potential. It celebrated the Refugee Olympic Team as heroes who defy extraordinary odds, embodying courage, talent, and ambition without borders.

The campaign launched with an animated social film created by a Syrian refugee illustrator and soundtracked by second-generation refugee rapper Che Lingo. The film reframed refugee athletes not as figures of pity but as icons of perseverance and triumph.

To unite supporters, we designed the team’s first-ever emblem—a symbol of hope and resilience—and introduced bespoke AR lenses, enabling fans to show their support. Athlete-led storytelling, celebrity endorsements, and real-time social activations during the Games amplified the campaign’s reach. Even other national teams, such as Team GB and Team USA, joined in to celebrate the Refugee Olympic Team.

How the idea was received

The campaign achieved extraordinary results, driving global awareness and engagement:

• Over 1 100 Million impressions and a +1000% increase in social reach for the team at Paris vs Tokyo 2020.
• Huge media coverage in 50+ countries, including prime-time stories on major networks, highlighting the athletes’ journeys.
• The AR lenses were used by 1.5 million fans, creating a digital wave of solidarity and inspiring participation from other Olympic teams.
• Cindy Ngamba’s historic medal win was celebrated as a moment of global unity, showcasing the triumph of human spirit over adversity, featuring in the Time Magazine 100 List.

Stanford University

Independent research by Stanford indicated that the Refugee Olympic Team campaign had a significantly positive impact on perceptions of refugee cause. Learnings are being taken forward for LA 2028

The ‘1 in 100 Million’ campaign turned statistics into stories, stories into movements, and movements into hope, proving that when the world listens, change follows.