A new campaign marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities from McDonald’s Germany and Jung von Matt SPORTS advocates for greater visibility in Para sports by portraying ‘invisible’ feats of athleticism.
We the (in)visible showcases sports moments without the performing athletes: a basketball sails across a court by itself; a splash appears in a pool without the swimmer diving in; a scoreboard flickers in front of empty stands.
Towards the end of the film, it’s revealed who the invisible sports heroes are: Para sport athletes passionately practising their sport. Among them is Léon Schäfer, the current world champion and world record holder in the long jump for athletes with thigh amputation and the recently crowned Para Athlete of the Year 2023.
The ad is part of a wider month-long campaign promoting the partnership between McDonald’s Germany and the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS).
The campaign breaks ahead of the Paralympics in Paris 2024, and will include digital out-of-home, online ads, and social media.
Markus Weiß, spokesperson for McDonald’s Germany, said: ‘We are proud to be the new partner of the DBS. Sport is a key factor for many people with or without disabilities to achieve greater social participation. Inclusion is also a crucial element in professional life. McDonald’s Germany was one of the first signatories of the Diversity Charter in 2007 because everyone is welcome here—whether in front or behind the counter.’
Featured image: We the (in)visible / McDonald’s Germany