BORN THIS WAY

TitleBORN THIS WAY
BrandLUX
Product / ServiceLUX
CategoryA01. Glass
EntrantWUNDERMAN THOMPSON Singapore, SINGAPORE
Idea Creation WUNDERMAN THOMPSON Singapore, SINGAPORE
Media Placement PHD MEDIA Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
PR THE HARDY BOYS Durban, SOUTH AFRICA
PR 2 EDELMAN SA Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA
PR 3 JESSICA HARTLEY Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
Production FINAL FRONTIER Shanghai, CHINA
Production 2 LE CUBE Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
Post Production WUNDERMAN THOMPSON Singapore, SINGAPORE
Additional Company UNILEVER Singapore, SINGAPORE

Credits

Name Company Position
Marco Versolato Wunderman Thompson Singapore CCO
Hinoti Joshi Wunderman Thompson Singapore Account Management
Gerri Hamill Wunderman Thompson Singapore - Chameleon Production
Deeksha Siwach Wunderman Thompson Singapore Account Management
AiLin Tan Wunderman Thompson Singapore Creative
Severine Vauleon Unilever - Lux Global Client
Ricardo Tronquini Wunderman Thompson Singapore Creative
Sixin Wu Wunderman Thompson Singapore Creative
Len DeRosales Wunderman Thompson Singapore Account Management
Fanny LeMasson Wunderman Thompson Singapore Account Management
Lucile Belleville Wunderman Thompson Singapore Planning
Josslyn Li Wunderman Thompson Singapore Planner
Team Chameleon Wunderman Thompson Singapore Production & Post Production
Gus Karam Final Frontier Production
Team Final Frontier Team Le Cube Final Frontier & Le Cube Animation and Production
Ralph Karam Final Frontier Director
Team DaHouse Audio GmbH DaHouse Audio GmbH Music
Lucas Mayer DaHouse Audio GmbH Music
Jessica Hartley Jessica Hartley PR
Team Facebook Creative Shop Facebook Creative Shop Singapore Facebook Amplification
Elliott Stares Jessica Hartley Global PR
Vivien Ng Unilever Client
Angad Saxena Unilever Client
Severine Vauleon Unilever Client
Ankush Wadehra Unilever Client

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 femininity unapologetically. We have 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. Following some protests, World Athletics (formerly IAAF) subjected her to multiple tests and humiliating medical examinations to prove she is a woman. She passed them but they banned her. She can't run in events between 800m and 1 mile unless she takes hormone drugs. Despite having her gender questioned and being banned by World Athletics, Caster has always risen above judgements and cruel insults to fight her cause with dignity. We are championing Caster's fight for her right to run as a woman, free of drugs.

Describe the cultural / social / political climate in your region and the significance of your campaign within this context

800m Olympic Gold Medallist and World Champion, Caster Semenya has been banned by World Athletics (then IAAF) from running in events between 800 m and 1 mile unless she takes hormone drugs. Her appeal against this has failed several times. Caster was born a woman and is legally recognised as a woman. Her body has been scrutinised by World Athletics, sports doctors, sports officials, fellow athletes and the public for almost 10 years. The constant judgment, speculation and medical intervention have caused her immense pain and suffering. In February 2020, she filed an appeal to the European Court of Human Right to overturn the World Athletics ban – the result is pending. 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.

Describe the creative idea

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

"Born This Way" film 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 film 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. The film ends with 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

Born This Way” campaign launched in Caster's home country South Africa with 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. The campaign calls 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.

Describe the results / impact

The campaign has captured global attention and raised massive support for Caster’s right to compete in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Caster's cause has been picked up by Time magazine, Guardian, Adage, Adweek, leading sports journals and all key South Africa media and was discussed in South Africa Parliament as well. Globally, it got 1.35B Global reach, 446M online readership, 1.6 Billion earned impressions, 679K estimated coverage views, 140 pieces of media coverage. In, South Africa, 33 pieces of media coverage, 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.

Links

Social Media URL   |   Video URL