Cannes Lions

Assume That I Can

SMALL, New York / COORDOWN / 2024

Awards:

1 Gold Cannes Lions
3 Silver Cannes Lions
4 Shortlisted Cannes Lions
Case Film
Film
Supporting Images
Case Film
Film
1 of 0 items

Overview

Entries

Credits

OVERVIEW

Background

In 2019, Marta Sodano, an Italian woman with Down syndrome, shared these words during a speech at the UN. "I discovered that in psychology there is a concept called “self-fulfilling prophecy”, whereby a teacher who thinks that a student cannot understand would just act accordingly and therefore they would not teach the student. And there you go: the prophecy self-fulfills." With these words, Marta described the hurdles she faced in her school experience. The self-fulfilling prophecy is a sociological and psychological concept, first described in 1948 by the US sociologist Robert K. Merton, illustrating how people’s assumptions and expectations affect events to such an extent that the initial prophecy comes true. Inspired by Marta’s words, we launched a campaign aimed at smashing assumptions from every angle.

Idea

Our negative assumptions about people with Down syndrome can lead us to treat them in a manner that reinforces these assumptions. So, why not reverse our perspectives?

Strategy

Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day, we launched the spot "ASSUME THAT I CAN” to call for an end to prejudice and support the concrete potential of each person who has Down syndrome.

Execution

In our launch film, a young woman with Down syndrome challenges the low expectations others have of her and proposes a shift in perspective. Initially, those around believe that she cannot achieve important goals. Then, halfway through the film, there’s a twist, and the protagonist forces the viewer – and society at large – to think outside the box. To break the stereotypes even further, we shared examples of prejudices that people with Down syndrome have shattered via our social media channels. We then invited the community to join us by using our official hashtag #AssumeThatICan

Outcome

The main film starring Canadian actress Madison Tevlin quickly became a global phenomenon, reaching more than 150 million views across platforms in one week. Many people with Down syndrome shared examples of stereotypes they had broken and thousands of social media users showed appreciation for how the campaign encouraged them to confront their prejudices. Hundreds of media outlets from all around the world covered the story, including CNN, BBC, Fox News, People magazine, Vogue, the Huffington Post, Glamour, Vanity Fair, The Independent and MSNBC.

Similar Campaigns

11 items

3 Cannes Lions Awards
Assume That I Can

INDIANA PRODUCTION COMPANY, Milan

Assume That I Can

2024, COORDOWN

(opens in a new tab)