15% of the world’s population live with disabilities. As the world’s largest minority, they face daily stigmatisation and exclusion from society. Furthermore, the issue of disability inclusion rarely reaches the top of the public agenda. This makes disability both a huge human rights issue, and a huge opportunity to effect change in awareness and attitudes at a global level.

The 15% of the world who live with disabilities face stigma and exclusion.

Only 15% of people with disabilities in low-income countries are employed.

40% live below the poverty line,

They are 3 times more likely to experience violence.

Everyone needs to take action to affect change.

To sow the seeds for change, we needed to raise awareness and shift attitudes away from limiting stereotypes.

We created a movement FROM, not just FOR, the 15%.

With a rallying name, “WeThe15”.

A rallying cry: See us, Hear us, Include us

A simple, unforgettable logo that could be adopted to show inclusion or allyship.

An iconic purple colour we set out to own.

A film in which the 15% could show and tell the world exactly who they are, with humour and candour, inviting the 85% to cast out limiting stereotypes and work towards true inclusion.

Social media and posters that underlined the scale of the challenge and the opportunity on the other side of it.

A coalition of 20 global organisations to back us.

Our audience was truly global, just like the challenge we faced into.

Our ambition was big and bold: we wanted to reach everyone without a disability with our messages.

1) Increase awareness of the scale of the issue: our research showed 43% of people underestimated how many people live with disabilities, judging it at less than 15%.

2) Shift attitudes towards people with disabilities to show them as “wonderfully ordinary”. Those living with disabilities describe being treated with either pity, or as a misplaced source of inspiration. They don’t want to be seen or treated as “special”.

3) Act like a movement, not an ad campaign. This is a marathon, not a sprint. WeThe15 plans to initiate change over the next decade by creating a powerful union of the world’s most influential organisations and individuals.

We identified the Tokyo Paralympic Games as the moment to launch our movement. With the world’s attention concentrated and the discourse around disability at its peak, it was the perfect opportunity to achieve our objectives.

We took over the opening ceremony - lighting it up purple, beaming out our logo.

We used the power of film to turn the attention of the 250m people watching the ceremony to our cause. This film featured a diverse cast of people with disabilities, addressing the world with humour and candour, inviting them to cast out stereotypes, and see the 15% as wonderfully ordinary.

We filled OOH sites globally with stats highlighting the scale of change needed, including iconic sites like Times Square and Piccadilly Lights.

225 iconic landmarks over 6 continents lit up purple in a show of solidarity.

Our logo was adopted by the community on social media, filling profiles and timelines.

The impact on disability rights and recognition was unprecedented.

Consequently, powerful organisations from the United Nations to UNESCO committed to tangible and we drove an unmissable global conversation about disability inclusion. 200K tweeters engaged with our campaign, including global figures such as Prince Harry, Ellie Simmonds and Selma Blair.

We earned 3000+ pieces of worldwide media coverage, reaching almost 80% of the world’s population.

WeThe15 made its impact on attitudes too, with stereotypes dissolving and the narrative around the Paralympic Games becoming importantly nuanced.

Half of those aware of the campaign say it changed their view of disability.

Others expressed its impact.

“Such an incredibly funny and humanizing video, the end felt like a total mic drop to me” – Instagram.

“I realized that you are not special for being part of the 15% but you are special for having worked yourselves to athletic success.” – YouTube.