Considering What?

The Story

Channel 4 had a problem. Their research showed that 59% of viewers watched the Paralympics to see athletes “overcoming their disabilities” rather than for their sporting excellence. The broadcaster’s own “Superhumans” narrative, used since the 2012 paralympics, may even have been contributing to this. So they flipped the script entirely.

Instead of focusing on athletes and their disabilities, the campaign personified the real opponents every athlete faces: gravity, friction, and time. The message was clear - these forces don't care about disability, and neither should sport.

The campaign turned the lens on the audience itself, questioning the patronising language people use when watching Paralympic sport. "He's incredible for someone like that." "They're so brave." "She's doing so well, considering." Considering what?

Disabled talent shaped the work throughout. Actor Nabil Shaban provided the voiceover, artist Florence Burns created supporting visuals, and real Paralympians were showcased as world-class competitors, not motivational stories.

How it gets representation right

• Research-driven representation, not assumptions: Used data to identify harmful misperceptions and actively correct them through creative storytelling.
• Athletes as competitors, not inspiration: Celebrated sporting excellence over personal struggle, repositioning Paralympics as elite competition.
• Disabled talent behind and in front of camera: From voiceover artists to visual creators, ensuring authentic representation throughout the production.

Why it matters

Channel 4 proved that brands can use research to identify inaccurate representation and actively correct it. By repositioning Paralympians against universal forces rather than their disabilities, they shifted public perception from pity to respect — showing how authentic representation requires confronting uncomfortable truths about audience attitudes and replacing them with evidence-based inclusion.