Creativity Best of 2012: A New Way to Look at Down Syndrome and More

from Advertising Age:
Until New Year's Creativity will be counting down 2012's best moves in brand creativity.

Coming in at No. 5 in the television category is this heartwarming campaign for Coor Down, the Italian national association for people with Down Syndrome, who marked UN World Down Syndrome Day by focusing on treating those with the condition in the same way as those without it. The project, by Saatchi & Saatchi, programmed alternative versions of well-known commercials and television shows. In collaboration with brands like Carrefour, Toyota and illy coffee, regularly scheduled ads featured characters with Down Syndrome -- doing exactly the same thing as the characters in regular ads would.

Step Up for Down Syndrome TV Commercial

from thepeoplestribune.com:

Christine Guertzgen, 12, of Louisiana, recently shot a television commercial to raise awareness for  the “Step Up for Down Syndrome” fundraising walk to be held for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St Louis (DSAGL).  Christine and several of her peers appear in the commercial that will air on all the major networks for the next few weeks. Hundreds of teams will join together to raise money and show support for individuals who have down syndrome at the June 5 walk in Forest Park.

“Step up for Down Syndrome” is the major fundraising and awareness event for DSAGL. All funds raised support the programs and services provided for members and their families.
Another fun event provided by DSAGSL is called the Walk at the Park where the top two fundraising team captains of  “Step Up for Down Syndrome” get to attend a Cardinals ballgame and throw out the first pitches.

With the assistance of Pike County Agency for Developmental Disabilities, Christine has been able to attend some of the Association’s events.  Most recently she attended the “Lose the Training Wheels Bike Camp”  that the association put on in conjunction with the Pujols Family Foundation.

Christine is certainly a very lucky girl to live in this community. The support of PCADD has been instrumental in Christine’s growth and development. This summer, with the help of the PCADD, Christine will be attending Camp Wonderland in the Lake of the Ozarks for a week on her own.

Christine also has the most amazing administrators, teachers, staff, and classmates at the Louisiana Middle School. They have helped and supported Christine and have truly made her feel accepted. Christine even participated as an honorary cheerleader! The teaching staff and administration have done so much to include her and she couldn’t possibly thank them enough!