The UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users Whizz Kidz has marked the final stage of its brand refresh with a new 60-second spot to be shown on Sky.
A further 30-second version will also be shown on the channel, with additional press running in the FT.
The film, created in partnership with Manifest and production company Gusto Film, will be complimented by paid social, display ads and a 30-second audio going into podcasts Via Acast.
The ad stars eleven-year-old Jasper Thornton-Jones from Reigate, Surrey, who shares the key message of the campaign with the words:
“I’m young, disabled, but not so different. Same dreams, same drive, same drama. Same world, just harder to get around. But with the right support, I’m on a roll.”
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It builds on the brand refresh, which began last summer and is 55% pro bono and seeks to more accurately represent who Whizz Kidz are for a growing audience.
At the heart of the refresh is the Whizz Kidz symbol which – according to senior brand marketing manager Tamsin Haines – “brings another flash of energy in the dynamic form of a lightening bolt, blended with the classic International Symbol of Access to represent the wheelchair user”.
The refresh also included accessibility adjustments including higher contrasts between the foreground and background as per web content accessibility guidelines.
It also includes removing the hyphen between Whizz and Kidz transforming to Whizz Kidz, because the hyphen doesn’t work well on screen reader software.
Haines said the brand needed to see accessibility represented “without compromise”.
Speaking about the film and working with Manifest, Haines said: “Working closely with Manifest and Gusto Film, who are experts in powerful storytelling, we set out to raise awareness of our work but also to shift the narrative of how young, disabled people are represented. ”
“The young people we support aren’t ‘superhuman’ and they don’t need our pity. Their lives aren’t so different,” she added.
“Building on the strong foundations of our recent brand refresh, we’re incredibly proud to launch our first ever brand campaign which celebrates the independence and freedom of the young people we support in a way which is relatable for our target audience.”
