As the COVID pandemic stretched its way around the world, music festivals, event companies and sports organisers quickly realised that they would not be able to host large-scale events this summer or even this year. The world waited with baited breath to find out the news we all knew was coming, that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games would have to be postponed to 2021.

To keep momentum up around the Paralympic Games, the IPC worked with adam&eveDDB to shine a spotlight on paralympic athletes. The organisation’s aim was to showcase how Paralympic sport is transforming the lives of people with disabilities around the world.

The slot, ‘Wait for the Greats’ shows us the world from the perspective of David Brown, the fastest fully blind sprinter in the world, running 100 metres in under 11 seconds. 

Viewers are given a first-person view of Brown’s race as we hear the build up, the sounds of the crowd, Brown’s deep breaths and the commentary from Jerome Avery, Brown’s guide runner. The screen stays black, capturing the extent of the vision impairment that Brown competes with.

The campaign will be rolled out across more than 180 countries, supported by National Paralympic Committees around the world. There is also an audio described version for people with a vision impairment and a subtitled version for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. This is a campaign with accessibility at its heart.

Craig Spence, Chief Brand & Communications Officer at IPC, explained: “To mark the occasion, maintain interest in the Games and generate excitement for next year we wanted an impactful global campaign that would appeal to Paralympic Games rights-holders and sport fans around the world.”

The postponement of the Paralympic and Olympic Games is a historic moment, one that means that athletes have to wait another year before they are able to compete. A decision which is nothing less than devastating for athletes who have been training for the fixed goal of the games. 

The Paralympics is a vital moment for people with disabilities as it showcases the sporting prowess and excellence of people who are doing extraordinary things, often against all the odds. ‘Wait for the Greats’ invites us to do just that, to keep the momentum and to celebrate the achievements of inspirational individuals like David Brown. It’s a beautiful reminder not just that the Paralympics will return, but it will be worth waiting for.