The campaign was like a bomb. A bomb of freshness and novelty. A daring bomb too. In September 2019, the world number 1 in men’s skincare Biotherm Homme announced the signing of a partnership with the disabled swimmer Théo Curin, bronze medalist at the 2019 Worlds in the 200m freestyle and 4th at the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016. Special feature? An angel’s face, a devastating smile but also a body bruised by a lightning meningitis contracted at the age of 6 years. Through this digital communication campaign, the image of the young quad-amputee swimmer is nevertheless exported all over the world. Pretty. Authentic. Without filter.
Théo Curin for Biotherm Homme (Biotherm)
If such a choice may come as a surprise coming from a cosmetics brand, incidentally owned by the L’Oréal group, it is part of a natural approach with a swimming champion on the one hand, and a brand closely associated with the water. ” Beyond that, we have always addressed ourselves to demanding men, who like a challenge, what we call “achievers”, explique the PDG Giulio Bergamaschi. And Théo perfectly reflects this state of mind. He is an athlete who, every day, has to push his limits. Life forced him to face extraordinary challenges. He never gave up, on the contrary he took the plunge, an element that scared him, regained his motivation and his desire to achieve great things. »
Le Coq Sportif, supplier of the French Handisport Federation
Before that, Le Coq Sportif had already moved the lines by becoming, in July 2019, the official equipment supplier of the French Handisport Federation (FFH). This is excellent news for the institution which, for several years, has been equipping its teams in France. Already a partner of three disabled sports champions (athlete Dimitri Pavadé, triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant and fencer Maxime Valet), the French brand thus pushed its commitment even further. ” These three athletes only confirmed our interest in disabled sports., says Patrick Ouyi, Marketing Director. They have amazing life stories. They are the real heroes, even if we see them less on TV! »
The French wheelchair rugby team. (The Coq Sportif)
Since then, Le Coq Sportif has further expanded its portfolio of disabled athletes with the signatures of Charlotte Fairbank (wheelchair tennis) and Alex Portal (disabled swimming). Still in this ambition of inclusiveness, the brand has also become the shoe supplier for the teams of Café Joyeux, a solidarity café-restaurant chain that employs waiters and cooks with mental or cognitive disabilities.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the Canadian outdoor specialist Arc’Teryx has, meanwhile, produced a series of videos devoted to “problem solvers” (or “agents of change” in French). The idea? Celebrate those who put design at the heart of the game to solve complex problems. Called “Without a Net”, the first episode of the saga is thus devoted to the story of Kai Lin, a designer who imagined a prosthetic leg for the American climber Craig Demartino, who had his right leg amputated after a fall. The storytelling is obviously well constructed. Ultra-precise communication. But the result is above all very inspiring.
“Even though things have changed, some people are still afraid of disability. I want to change things, it also involves this kind of collaboration. »
Such steps are obviously not new. Already in 2011, the South African multi-medalist Oscar Pistorius (who is currently serving a 13-year prison sentence for the murder of his companion, Reeva Steenkamp) had become the face of the perfume A * Men by Thierry Mugler. He was then an exception. But today, things seem to be accelerating. For once, Giulio Bergamaschi sees in this the positive impact of a certain digitization: “ with social networks, people are much more exposed to reality, to diversity, and are therefore less and less comfortable with images of perfect, idealized, polished bodies. They want to see this diversity represented in brand communications. They need inspiration and sincerity. »
An observation that prompted Théo Curin to embark on this adventure. Its ambition is clear: to break the codes in relation to the perception of disability and more generally of difference. ” I found the message very strong to become the muse for a cosmetics brand, he explains. Even though things have changed, some people are still afraid of disability. I want to change things, it also involves this kind of collaboration. »
“Consumers today expect more from brands than just making money. They must play a bigger role and help make the world a better place. “
George Weetman, Vice President of Arc’Teryx
To bring to light another image, another body. But also another speech. Brands have indeed realized that when they give voice to athletes like Théo Curin, Michaël Jeremiasz or Marie-Amélie Le Fur, it is often very intelligent and motivating. ” There is this little trick in disabled athletes in addition to inspiration, surpassing oneself, also de-dramatizing the handicap., notes Benoît Hétet, communications director at the FFH. They show that it is ultimately not that bad and exudes something very positive. It feels good ! »
Above all, it allows us to play on another register and highlight other stories, like the campaign imagined by Arc’Teryx. ” Our goal was to make marketing more authentic, admits George Weetman, the vice-president. Today’s consumers expect more from brands than just making money. They must play a bigger role and help make the world a better place. »
The campaign imagined by Arc’Teryx with Craig Demartino. (angela percival / Arc’Teryx)
For Patrick Ouyi du Coq Sportif, this “different act” is above all a ” company values marker. Becoming the first official equipment supplier of the Handisport Federation allows us to show that beyond the commercial and marketing aspects, there is a very important imperative of meaning, he insists. This partnership allows us to anchor ourselves in values that differentiate us and which are not very marketing, those of proximity and inclusion. »
Generate meaning
Especially since beyond this brand image, companies will also exploit this attachment to disabled sports and more broadly to disability to make it an internal communication tool. How? ‘Or’ What ? By developing connections, by creating bridges between their employees and disabled sports personalities. Lunches, meetings, conferences … Because it inevitably brings people together, to the point of creating a real feeling of pride and belonging within the teams.
Initiatives which, according to Patrick Ouyi, would generate meaning ” beyond mercantile and commercial objectives. ”So the ambitions are not the same behind these partnerships? More values and less business to caricature? The question is legitimate. After all, a brand is there to grow and sell its products. ” I believe that some campaigns are first made to build an image, souligne Giulio Bergamaschi chez Biotherm. An inspirational brand that represents values in tune with the times as is the case through our collaboration with Théo – surpassing, challenging, inclusiveness – is a brand that resonates much more with consumers. “And therefore a brand that is doing well.
Sometimes linked to the corporate social responsibility (or CSR) policy, these approaches sometimes oscillate between a truly sincere operation and pure marketing. A question then arises: are there public subsidies or legal provisions to encourage brands and equipment manufacturers to go down this path? None according to the Secretary of State in charge of disabled people like the Ministry of Sports.
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