LA28 Paralympic Games Handover from Paris 2024
The 7th Annual Awards
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
When the Paralympic Flag was handed from Paris to LA on Sept. 8, 2024, the world got a glimpse of what's next to come in Los Angeles, a world-class city at the center of sport, culture and creativity. People come from every corner of the world to Los Angeles to chase their dreams and in 2028, 15,000 elite Olympic and Paralympic athletes will join that chase, and LA28 will welcome the world to the city of dreamers.
The Paralympic flag Handover showcased LA, its people, music and the future of sport, with a bit of Hollywood magic and uplifted the adaptive community.
How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?
This work pushes inclusivity and challenges the traditional conventions around disability and paralympic athletes and sports.
The work showcased how Paralympic dreams many times mirror those of their Olympic counterparts, shifting the focus from disability to accomplishments on the field of play -- emphasizing that the Paralympic Games deliver sporting excellence.
In addition, by focusing on dreams of both Paralympic athletes and people with disabilities, LA28 was able to use the platform provided by the Games to push for diversity, inclusion and equity not only in sports but also across the broader society. Highlighting that it’s our ability to dream that makes us human, unifying us regardless of race, gender, disability, sexuality or faith.
Lastly, the work tapped into disabled talent both on camera and behind camera, with emphasis on normalizing people with a disability on being experts in subjects beyond disability. As the industry moves forward, this last point can make the biggest different by moving past the disability and instead focusing on the human.
Objective
During the Paris 2024 Paralympic Closing Ceremonies, LA28 had an opportunity to create a piece of content to introduce the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
With Los Angeles being a city that sits at the global intersection of sport, culture and creativity, we wanted to create an impactful film that showcased both adaptive sport as well as the energy of LA Cculture. In addition, we saw this moment as a big opportunity to drive inclusivity and equity featuring and sharing stories of both athletes with a disability as well as community members with a disability. In doing so, we wanted to tell relatable stories that no matter who we are or what our circumstances are, we all have dreams. LA is a tapestry of dreamers.
Strategy & Execution
Centered around the idea that Los Angeles is a city where dreams become reality, the first part of our film focuses on celebrating the dreamers that make this city. We feature three Paralympians who embody the spirit of LA28. We feature an actress who has changed the face of disabled representation in Hollywood. We also feature dreams of every day Angelenos.
All these dreams are set to “California Dreamin,” by The Mamas and The Papas – an iconic piece of music that defined the California Sound of the 1960’s and to this day, resonates with anyone dreaming of a trip to LA. The song signaled the start of the counterculture – a period when the common knowledge of the day was challenged, and civil rights were expanded for many groups that historically faced discrimination.
For the second part of our film, we consider the modern sports fan’s desire for action packed sports and pop culture. Anderson. Paak performs at the iconic Venice Beach Skate Park with other adaptive musicians while we see an insane exhibition by local adaptive skateboarders who show us how they continue to challenge what’s possible.
Organizations
- LA28 Olympic
- Paralympic Games
- Fulwell 73 Productions
- Makign Space Media
Links
Credits
Amy Gleeson
CMO (at time of project)
LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Dana Lent
VP, Games Experiences and Engagement
LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Olivia Cheng
VP, Marketing and Brand Engagement
LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Eric Vexelman
Director, Brand Strategy
LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Aaron Lowenstein
VP, Deputy General Counsel
LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games
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