This one meant a lot to me.
We were asked to help make a campaign for the Paralympics that could show how Citi supports disability awareness after the games are over. I’ve had a few friends mention the microaggressions they can get in this regard, so we tried to write to that. This is a campaign about flipping the script, and giving people the answer that maybe they didn’t ask for, but need to hear anyway.
When I was going over the script with Alice Tai (Below) and the first thing she told me was:
“This has literally happened to me. Some lady said it in a grocery store, and my boyfriend said “She’s a gold medalist, that’s what happened!”
The person this campaign owes the most, however, is Scout Bassett (Pictured below). Well before interviews, there were other campaigns under consideration, and the client was going to make a decision while they were with agency leadership at Cannes that year. Scout walked up to the CMO of Citi while she was talking with my creative directors, and Scout said “It absolutely has to be ‘What Happened.’”
Scout, if you ever read this, I owe you a drink. It was beyond an honor to do right by you.
PRESS:
Adweek: ”The Best Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Ads”
AdAge Creativity: “Citi’s Paralympic ads reframe the question the athletes so often get: ‘What happened?’”
Muse by Clios: “Citi’s Paralympic Athletes Have the Best Answers”
Ad Buzz Daily: “Citi’s New Campaign Challenges Perceptions of Disabilities in Sports”
ECD: Oliver Handlos
GCDs: Rit Bottorf & Aaron Blazey
Sr. Art Director: Ryan Harper