Beyond the Games
How Bupa Created an Inclusively Made Paralympic Campaign
The Challenge: Representation Matters
The production industry faces a stark reality when it comes to disability representation. Recent findings from Valuable 500's 2024 "Nothing About Us Without Us" report reveal the scope of the challenge:
84%
of people with disability do not feel frequently and appropriately represented in advertising
3 out of 4
believe that authentic storytelling and representation should be a top priority for corporations
$13 Trillion
is the annual spending power of the global disability community
The Vision: Healthcare Beyond the Games
For 12 days, every four years, we all rally around inclusion. But what about every other day?
When Bupa set out to create their Paralympic campaign, they knew inclusion couldn't be an afterthought – it needed to be the foundation.
Rather than focusing solely on athletic achievements, the campaign aimed to highlight the everyday lives of Paralympians and connect this to Bupa's broader mission of accessible healthcare that extends "beyond the games."
"I realised I had been overlooking the role of diversity and inclusion in the work that I'd been creating.
It just wasn't something that was a thing that I processed or thought about when I was making work."
Jim Ingram
Group Chief Creative and Co-Founder; Thinkerbell
"Inclusion for us was non-negotiable from the start of this project, and that's why we wanted to work with Inclusively Made so that authentic inclusion was represented throughout the project."
Ainsley Campbell
Senior Manager, Brand Campaigns; Bupa
Key Learnings: Making Inclusion Seamless
Early Integration
Rather than considering inclusivity further down the track, once production was underway, the team built it in from the outset.
Expert Collaboration
The partnership with Inclusively Made provided crucial guidance across every stage, from scripting to post-production.
Authentic Representation
The campaign featured Paralympic athletes presenting them as people living full lives, with Bupa's healthcare support enabling their everyday activities.
Company Accreditation
Bupa achieved Inclusively Made's accreditation by implementing inclusive practices across pre-production, filming, and post-production.
Overcoming Initial Concerns
From Overwhelming to Seamless
"Inclusion seemed a little overwhelming to start with. But as we worked with Inclusively Made and worked our way through the program, we realised that little by little, just small changes through the whole production process really added up to a lot by the end."
Di Nash
Head Production Tinker; Thinkerbell
Building Confidence
"Working with Inclusively Made, it meant we always had someone to lean on, to ask, to talk to, to support us, and I think it was the confidence in how to integrate it right into the process."
Sean McNichols
Head Creative Tinker; Thinkerbell
"Creating the inclusion plan was quite straightforward.
Once we realised that a few points from each part of production all started adding up, it became quite clear that we could make it to 100 points quite easily, and then we were like, how high can we go?"
Di Nash
Head Production Tinker; Thinkerbell
Key Learnings: Making Inclusion Seamless
Start Early, Not Late
Inclusion planning must begin at project inception rather than being added later in the process. Early integration makes inclusive practices seamless and natural throughout production.
Expert Partnerships Are Essential
Working with specialist inclusion consultants provides crucial guidance and helps teams navigate unfamiliar territory while building confidence and capabilities.
Inclusion Amplifies Creativity
Rather than constraining creative options, inclusive approaches often lead to more innovative storytelling and stronger audience connections.
Planning Makes It Possible
Achieving meaningful representation requires intentional planning and resource allocation from the beginning, but is entirely achievable when properly structured.
Campaign Impact
This campaign represents more than just advertising – it's a blueprint for how inclusion can be seamlessly integrated into major productions.
Production Quality
Remained exceptional throughout
Timeline Management
Stayed on track with inclusive practices
Inclusivity Award; Bronze
Cairns Crocodiles 2025 Awards
Project Certification
Achieved Inclusively Made certification
Making Inclusion Business as Usual
With 1 in 5 Australians living with a disability and the global disability community representing $13 trillion in annual spending power, inclusive campaigns aren't just the right thing to do – they're smart business strategy.
Ready to make your next production Inclusively Made?