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MAA Ad of the Week: Channel 4 benches ‘Superhumans’ for gritty athletes

Channel 4’s ‘Superhumans’ campaign has been one of those rare things, an ad event – with a groaning cabinet of awards to prove it.

But the Superhumans have been benched for this year’s coverage of the Paris Paralympics, the result (in part) of research showing 59% of people say they watch the Paralympic Games to “see athletes overcoming their disabilities” whereas just 37% say they watch the Paralympics for “exciting sporting competition.”

So C4 and in-house agency 4Creative are doubling down on the latter.

Film includes ParalympicsGB athletes Aaron Phipps, Dame Sarah Storey, Emmanuel Oyinbo-Coker, Joseph Lane, Emma Wiggs, Olivia Broome and Alfie Hewett. Director Steve Rogers for Biscuit Filmworks UK X Revolver.

C4 CMO Katie Jackson says: “Since 2012, Channel 4 has played a key role in raising the profile of the Paralympic Games and challenging attitudes around disability. The Paralympics is one of the greatest sporting events in the world, drawing many millions of viewers. And that’s just it. This is sport, where athletic prowess takes centre stage and excellence wins above all else.

“As we show Paralympians battling against the very real forces of our world, forces that don’t distinguish between any of us, we wanted to highlight the pure power and energy of world-class athleticism. Because at the end of the day, sport doesn’t care about disability.”

4Creative ECD Lynsey Atkin says: “As we moved on from Superhumans, we wanted to turn the lens on the audience, done with a film stuffed full of Channel 4 irreverence and spirit. We owe a huge debt to Paralympians and our partners throughout the disabled community who have worked with us to bring this project to life. My personal thanks to them for backing a sports film that features a fat man with a pint and a lad with a mullet doing donuts in Brent Cross.”

From the same school as some of Weiden+Kennedy’s best efforts for Nike and no worse for that.

MAA creative scale: 8.5 (not entirely sure about the fat guy.) Out of Home is pretty good too.

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