Canadian Paralympic Committee – Greatness Moves Us Campaign for Paris 2024

The Challenge

The Canadian Paralympic Committee stood at a critical inflection point heading into Paris 2024. After completing a comprehensive brand strategy and identity refresh, launching a new website, and introducing a fan-facing newsletter, CPC needed their Paris 2024 campaign to do more than promote the Games—it needed to embody the new brand and fundamentally shift how Canadians perceive Paralympic sport.

The challenge was multilayered:

• Launch the refreshed brand on the biggest stage (first Games with new identity)
• Move beyond “inspiration” narratives to celebrate athletic excellence
• Dramatically increase viewership and engagement (building on Tokyo 2020 numbers)
• Establish CPC as a modern, dynamic sports organization
• Create a campaign that works in both official languages with full accessibility
• Set the foundation for long-term growth toward Milano Cortina 2026

Most critically: prove that Paralympic sport deserves the same attention, production value, and cultural celebration as Olympic sport.

 

Our Approach: Brand-First Campaign Strategy

Working alongside CPC’s internal marketing and communications team, we developed “Greatness Moves Us“—a campaign designed to be the public debut of CPC’s transformed brand while driving record-breaking viewership for Paris 2024.

The strategic pillars:

1. Celebrate Greatness in All Its Forms
Rather than positioning Para athletes as “inspiring despite disability,” we celebrated their relentless pursuit of excellence—the universal drive that moves us all forward.

2. Trace the Journey
Show athletes’ progression from earliest dreams to the world stage—making their path relatable and their achievements contextualized within years of dedication.

3. Unite Through Shared Values
Connect athletes, fans, supporters, and all Canadians through the momentum of greatness—positioning Paralympic sport as something that elevates everyone.

4. Embody the New Brand
Every creative decision needed to reflect CPC’s refreshed identity: dynamic, modern, inclusive, excellent.

Partnership & Production
We partnered with Vancouver-based creative agency WILL and production company GOOD–IDEA® to bring the campaign to life. Director Ross Allen, producers Mack Stannard and Ben Chick, and cinematographer Mitchell Baxter created a visual language that matched the energy and athleticism of Paralympic sport.

Inclusion by Design
From the beginning, accessibility wasn’t an afterthought—it was core to the creative:

• Custom bilingual track by Aiza (the “Afro-bop Queen”) in English and French
• Composer Jeremy Wallace Maclean built breathing space into the audio so descriptive video wouldn’t compete with lyrics
• Campaign designed for multiple platforms and formats
• Full closed captioning and described video

 

The Campaign

Scope:

• Flagship broadcast commercial (multiple lengths, both official languages, fully accessible)
• Social media content series featuring individual athlete stories
• Digital assets across CPC and CBC/Radio-Canada platforms
• Launch coinciding with 50-day countdown to Paris 2024
• Integration with CBC/Radio-Canada’s extensive Games coverage

Featured Athletes:

• Amy Burk (Goalball)
• Priscilla Gagné (Para Judo)
• Sheriauna Haase (Para Athletics)
• Travis Murao (Wheelchair Rugby)
• Eric Rodrigues (Wheelchair Rugby)
• Tamara Steeves (Wheelchair Basketball)
• Noah Vucsics (Para Athletics)

Plus archival footage featuring Marissa Papaconstantinou, Aurélie Rivard, Nate Riech, Brent Lakatos, and other Paralympic legends.

Creative Approach:

The campaign captures athletes in motion—training, competing, celebrating. High-energy cinematography paired with Aiza’s electrifying custom track created a visceral sense of momentum and excitement. Every frame reinforced that these are elite athletes pursuing excellence at the highest level.

The narrative arc traces journeys from childhood dreams to Paralympic podiums, showing the years of dedication, the support systems, the setbacks and comebacks—the full human story of athletic greatness.

The Work We Did

Strategic Direction & Creative Development

• Alongside WILL, developed the campaign strategy aligned with brand refresh goals
• Developed messaging framework balancing excellence and accessibility
• Coordinated across CPC internal team, WILL, GOOD–IDEA®, and CBC/Radio-Canada
• Ensured campaign embodied new brand identity in every touchpoint

Brand Integration

• First major public-facing activation of refreshed brand identity
• Established visual and tonal language for future campaigns
• Connected campaign to new website, newsletter, and digital ecosystem
• Created foundation for ongoing brand evolution

Partnership Coordination

• Managed relationships across creative agency, production company, and broadcast partner
• Aligned CPC, CBC/Radio-Canada, and agency partners on creative direction
• Coordinated athlete participation and approvals
• Oversaw production for CPC from concept through final delivery

Multi-Platform Activation

• Campaign rollout strategy across broadcast, digital, and social
• Content adaptation for different platforms and formats
• Integration with CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage plans
• Launch timing and 50-day countdown activation
  
  

The Impact

Record-Breaking Success
“Greatness Moves Us” didn’t just launch a campaign—it transformed how Canadians engage with Paralympic sport.

Viewership Results:

• 11+ million Canadians tuned in to Paris 2024 Paralympic Games coverage on CBC/Radio-Canada
• 119% increase from Tokyo 2020
• Established new baseline for Paralympic sport viewership in Canada

Brand Transformation:

• Successfully launched refreshed brand identity on national stage
• Shifted narrative from “inspiration” to “athletic excellence”
• Positioned CPC as modern, dynamic sports organization
• Created visual and tonal language that carried forward to Milano Cortina 2026

Cultural Shift:

• Elevated Paralympic sport in Canadian consciousness
• Demonstrated that Para athletes deserve same production value and celebration as Olympic athletes
• Created momentum that enabled even more ambitious “Where It Begins” campaign for Milano Cortina 2026

What Made It Work:
The campaign succeeded because it treated Paralympic sport with the same energy, production quality, and respect as any major sporting event—while never losing sight of the human stories and the power of inclusion.

 

Why This Matters

“Greatness Moves Us” represents a turning point—not just for CPC, but for how Paralympic sport is positioned and celebrated in Canada.

By leading with athletic excellence, investing in world-class production, and designing inclusion into every element, the campaign proved that Paralympic sport can command mainstream attention when given the platform and respect it deserves.

The 119% viewership increase validated the strategic approach: Canadians will show up for Paralympic sport when it’s presented with the energy, production value, and celebration it deserves.

This success created the foundation and momentum for “Where It Begins“ (Milano Cortina 2026), allowing CPC to be even more ambitious in their next chapter of storytelling.

 

Partners

• Differly Inc. (Willow Grey fulfills Differly’s fractional marketing leadership contract with the CPC)
• Canadian Paralympic Committee (internal marketing, communications and brand team)
• WILL — Creative agency (Vancouver)
• GOOD–IDEA® — Production company
• CBC/Radio-Canada — Broadcast partner and collaborative campaign development