Why is this work relevant for Direct?

800m Olympic Gold Medallist and World Champion, Caster Semenya has been banned by World Athletics from running in events between 800m and 1mile unless she takes hormone suppressing drugs. Her appeal against this failed several times. Caster was born a woman and is legally recognised as a woman. The campaign shines a light on Caster's plight and tells her story bringing it to a wider audience, not just her home country, South Africa, but also to the world stage. The campaign appealed to everyone to petition for Caster to run again and influence World Athletics to change their policy.

Background

“Born This Way” is part of a broader global Lux campaign to inspire 50 million women by 2025 using content, partnerships and activations to help them rise above everyday sexist judgements and express their beauty and femininity unapologetically. We had always been passionate about Olympic Gold Medallist and World Champion, Caster Semenya's case. She had won gold in the 800m in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics 800m. World Athletics (formerly IAAF) then subjected her to multiple tests and humiliating medical examinations. She passed them but they banned her anyway. She can't run in events between 800 m and 1mile unless she takes hormone drugs. Despite this and having her gender constantly questioned, Caster has always risen above judgements and cruel insults to fight her cause with dignity. We wanted to take a stand with her and rally the world to stand with us to overturn her ban.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

What do Caster Semenya, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt and Simone Biles have in common? All four athletes have extraordinary biology. For three athletes, this has meant that they could win over 100 medals across five Olympics. For Caster, it has resulted in humiliating medical examinations, cruel insults and judgment of her body and her sex; as well as a World Athletics ban from running unless she takes hormone drugs. In line with Unilever's Positive Beauty vision, Lux partnered with Caster to shine a light on her plight and champion her cause to overturn the ban. Caster was born with hyperandrogenism and as she herself often says, ‘I am a woman. I was born this way”. The idea came from the insight that most champion athletes are born with extraordinary biology. But unlike Caster, they are celebrated, not reviled or banned. This campaign dramatizes this in support of Caster‘s fight.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

"Born This Way" campaign dramatises the extraordinary biology that champion athletes are born with and plays up the contrast between other iconic athletes and Caster Semenya. While they are celebrated, she is faced with bans and cruel judgements. The campaign shines a light on Caster's plight and tells her story from an emotional angle – bringing it to a wider audience, not just in her home country South Africa, but also to the world stage. There was a call for the audience to stand with Caster by signing a petition on Avaaz.org to overturn the World Athletics ban.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

“Born This Way” campaign was launched in Caster's home country South Africa with a petition and a teaser followed by the main campaign just before the Tokyo Olympics, during the pre-qualifier season. It was released as an integrated campaign and has created waves In South Africa and across the world. There was a call for the audience to stand with Caster by signing a petition on Avaaz.org to overturn the World Athletics ban. Alongside that, the South African Parliament has also joined the African Human Rights Commission and other institutions to help Caster in her fight for justice and her rights as a woman.

List the results (30% of vote)

Caster's cause has been picked up by Time magazine, Guardian, Adage, Adweek, leading sports journals and all key South Africa media. Globally, we’ve got more than 1.35B Global reach, 446M online readership, 1.6 Billion earned impression, 679K estimated coverage views and more than 140 global press coverage. In South Africa, we’ve achieved 33 pieces of media coverage and reached 81% of South Africa population. Overall, the PR value achieved is worth Euro 1 million+. We’ve even managed to evoke a reaction from World Athletics which is a positive sign. Alongside that, the South African Parliament has also joined the African Human Rights Commission and other institutions to help Caster in her fight for justice and her rights as a woman.

Please tell us how the brand purpose inspired the work

In line with Unilever's Positive Beauty vision, Lux believes that no woman should be judged for how they look or be stripped of being a woman. We are championing Caster's fight for her right to run as a woman, free of drugs. “Born This Way” is also a part of a broader global Lux campaign to inspire 50 million women by 2025 using content, partnerships and activations to help them rise above everyday sexist judgements and express their beauty and femininity unapologetically.