VIDEO: ‘New Boyfriend’ – by AMV BBDO & MALTESERS.
“…Beyond our own ads, we want to open the conversation with other companies and their brands about how we better represent the diversity of modern Britain in our advertising.” Michelle Oliver, Mars UK
Winners of Channel 4’s Superhumans Wanted initiative, MARS Chocolate & AMV BBDO champion disability and diversity with their latest 3-part campaign for Maltesers. Created by one of the UK’s biggest advertising agencies, the ‘Look on the Light Side’ ads were broadcasted during the Paralympic Games’ opening ceremony and the TV’s channel’s peak time – triggering online and offline conversations about the representation of disabled people in advertising.
As more and more brands seem to slowly embrace this under represented group of consumers, Michele Oliver, VP of Marketing at MARS Chocolate UK mentioned “… we have a responsibility and a role to play in reflecting diversity in everyday media. This is a first step for us, and with a fifth of the UK population living with a disability, and the nation focused on this great sporting event, this is the right time to join the conversation.”
In all 3 ads the disabled protagonists are presented as people among…people sharing their very own awkward experiences with their friends, like most of us do. Based on real-life stories, MARS & AMV BBDO‘s series of ads succeed in delivering a much more realistic and ‘normalised’ portrayal of the people who live with disabilities using clever humour and a human approach.
AMV is part of the BBDO network, the advertising mammoth behind the awesome ‘Wheelchair basketball’ commercial – part of Guinness’ ‘Made of More’ campaign launched three years ago. Capturing a powerful story of dedication, sportsmanship and loyalty, the commercial was one of the first that ‘got right’ disability whilst pushing the boundaries in advertising and opening an on-going conversation about reflections on the representation of disability within our society.