SUPERHUMANS REPRESENTATIONS

How have campaigns been successful in the past? What have they employed even if they are not selling a product?

In the past, successful campaigns have tended to employ shock tactics to elicit a response from the audience. Some campaigns are hard-hitting even if they are not selling a product, trying to reach the audience on an emotional level to raise their awareness about an issue or event. - Super. Humans

What did 4Creatives executive creative director say when launching this campaign?

‘Following the last two Paralympics advertisements was no small task, however we recognised an opportunity to present the athletes in a way they had not been shown before….. by pointing a camera at the realities of their everyday lives and, as with every elite athlete, the sacrifices made in the pursuit of greatness. Collectively, these choices paint a story of mental determination not of disability’ - Lynsey Atkins

How did the producers make choices to change the focus of the campaign from a previous idea? And what changes did they make to what they focused on?

The choice, therefore, was made to change the focus of a previous campaign ‘Meet the SuperHumans’ and instead, in the 2020 campaign to emphasise the Humans rather than the Super, juxtaposing images of the gruelling training regime with those of the everyday lives of the athletes with the intention to be relatable.

How are some minority groups marginalised? What is created as a result?

Dominant groups in society largely control what is produced and as a result minority groups are often marginalised, creating an unrealistic view of the contemporary world.

What does this advertisement attempt to address? What is its aim?

This advertisement attempts to address the marginalisation of certain groups - in this particular case disabled people. Its aim, reflecting Channel 4’s ethos and ideology is to give a voice to those who are often not represented positively in other areas of the media.

How did the campaign work in changing attidudes?

The positive representation of disabilities and the coverage of the games changed attitudes

According to YouGov research - 65% of viewers felt that the coverage of the games had a positive impact on their perception of disabled people. 82% of viewer agreed that disabled athletes are as talented as able-bodied athletes

How does the advert challenge accepted ideas? And what are the negative stereotypical representations of disability? What does the advert actively avoid doing? And what do the representations cover and show a different view of?

Choice have been made by the producers to create representations that challenge accepted ideas regarding disabilities and in particular disabled people. This advert actively avoids negative stereotypical representations of Paralympians as victims to be pitied or heroes - superhumans - to be viewed with awe. Instead the representations create a realistic ‘Blood and Guts’ feel to the advertisement. Th representations cover both genders and have a different view to the world of disability to that of ‘having something wrong with you’

What are the narratives in the text centred around and what does this enable to producers to represent? What factors enable a positive representation and the raising of awareness?

The narratives are centred around real people, but through representation, a representation of REALITY is constructed, specifically the challenges the athletes face. The filming, editing and visual codes all combine to construct a representation of the social group - raising awareness and constructing a positive representation of Paralympians as athletes first and not as disabled people ‘doing their best’

What stereotypes have producers attempted to avoid through representation in Super.Humans.

In constructing representation as they have in Super.Humans. producers have aimed to avoid the negative stereotype of disabled athletes having to ‘overcome’ their disability to achieve success, instead celebrating them as high performance athletes in their own right.

What do Channel 4 the creators of the Super.Humans. advert claim is their purpose?

“Our purpose is to create change through entertainment. We do this by representing unheard voices, challenging with purpose and reinventing entertainment” Chanel 4 embrace difference and wish to represent it through entertainment