The article I found came from the PRWeek Website titled, Special Olympics ups Outreach. During the 2009 Winter Games in Idaho the PR team for the Special Olympics hopes to attract more people to its year-round programs. The global brand marketing and awareness director said “Our goal is to promote the program so all people realize they can be a part of the movement”.
They are bringing in celebrities supporters such as Arnold Schwarzenegger to their opening ceremony and the Global Youth Rally. The Global Youth Rally will serve to reach out to the youth to become “changing agents for acceptance”. The opening ceremony of the Winter Games will bring about 2,500 athletics with intellectual disabilities from about 200 countries.
The Special Olympics Public Relations wants to install core values such as determination and dignity, by using the slogan “Be a Fan”.
After reading the article I became very interested in the goal of creating a world of acceptance. “Dignity, acceptance, and a chance to reach one’s potential – these are human rights worth promoting for everyone. Since 1968, Special Olympics has been bringing one message to the world: people with intellectual disabilities can and will succeed if given the opportunity.” I think that this sums up everything that the Special Olympics Public Relations is trying to get across. In order for people to reach their full potential they need to have that dignity and acceptance.
The “Be a Fan” campaign is also very interesting. The campaigns main goal is to connect people who are not already associated with the Special Olympics to support the Special Olympics brand goals. The campaign was developed by Andrew Robertson who is the Special Olympics International Board Director and his advertising team. They use powerful images of the athletes to show the true power of the human spirit. The “Be a Fan” campaign is also using stories of the athletes such as Be a Fan of: dignity, joy, courage. These are very powerful stories that help people feel connected to the athletes themselves. I think that this is a great way to get their point across and to get more people involved in the Special Olympics.
I read this article before and found it very moving so I am glad you chose to blog about it this week. The Special Olympics and a wonderful organization that makes a lot of peoples lives a lot better all over the world. The fact that the PR department is trying to spread the news and get more people involed is a wonderful idea.
ReplyDeleteIn my home town area we have a special olympics bowling team and they tournaments in a neighboring town every year. I know a few of the kids on the team and I know how much it means to them to have this bowling team in their lives.
The Special Olympics impacts so many people's lives and I am glad to see that the PR department is bringing in famous people to help and these events. The more people that get involved the better and smother the event can run and the more special it can be for the competitors.
I agree that they article is very interesting. Although the concept seems as though it’s complicated I believe the advertising campaign is a back to basics strategy. Andrew Robertson reviewed what the organization had been doing for the last decade and said, enough. He brought the group back to its core values which are the children and their families. After all who is the biggest fan of a child? The parents. He can now show that to the country – this is great stuff!
ReplyDeleteAndrew Robertson is showing the general public what he sees everyday and ideas and people with which all of us can most identify. Therefore if it is something in which we relate then it we would be more apt to aid the cause either by donating our time or funding the organizations program.
I really enjoyed the new marketing strategy that the organization has implemented.
Jess I agree that "Dignity, acceptance, and a chance to reach one’s potential" are great human rights that everyone should know. I believe that everyone should have dignity, be accepted no matter what, and have a fair chance at reaching their potential. The Special Olympics is a great program and it’s smart that the Public Relations program is trying to get the main purpose of the program known to more people. The “Be a Fan” campaign is an interesting way to try to get more people involved. I think that by using real images of the Special Olympics for the campaign is a great way to promote the program.
ReplyDeleteI read the article you were referring to and was deeply moved. I know quite a few autistic and down-syndrom children and I absolutely love them! They love the same things we love and love to do the same things we love to do. They can do most of them as well, but there are times they have difficulties and restrictions. I am a strong supporter of the Special Olympics and all programs for the disabled because they are part of our world, lives, and culture and they deserve just as much if not even more than we do!
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