Assume That I Can

Background: In 2019, Marta Sodano, an Italian woman with Down syndrome, shared these words during a speech at the UN. "I discovered that in psychology there is a concept called “self-fulfilling prophecy”, whereby a teacher who thinks that a student cannot understand would just act accordingly and therefore they would not teach the student. And there you go: the prophecy self-fulfills." With these words, Marta described the hurdles she faced in her school experience. The self-fulfilling prophecy is a sociological and psychological concept, first described in 1948 by the US sociologist Robert K. Merton, illustrating how people’s assumptions and expectations affect events to such an extent that the initial prophecy comes true. Inspired by Marta’s words, we launched a campaign aimed at smashing assumptions from every angle. Creative Idea: Our negative assumptions about people with Down syndrome can lead us to treat them in a manner that reinforces these assumptions. So, why not reverse our perspectives? Insights & Strategy: Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day, we launched the spot "ASSUME THAT I CAN” to call for an end to prejudice and support the concrete potential of each person who has Down syndrome. Execution: In our launch film, a young woman with Down syndrome challenges the low expectations others have of her and proposes a shift in perspective. Initially, those around believe that she cannot achieve important goals. Then, halfway through the film, there’s a twist, and the protagonist forces the viewer – and society at large – to think outside the box. To break the stereotypes even further, we shared examples of prejudices that people with Down syndrome have shattered via our social media channels. We then invited the community to join us by using our official hashtag #AssumeThatICan Results: The main film starring Canadian actress Madison Tevlin quickly became a global phenomenon, reaching more than 150 million views across platforms in one week. Many people with Down syndrome shared examples of stereotypes they had broken and thousands of social media users showed appreciation for how the campaign encouraged them to confront their prejudices. Hundreds of media outlets from all around the world covered the story, including CNN, BBC, Fox News, People magazine, Vogue, the Huffington Post, Glamour, Vanity Fair, The Independent and MSNBC.