Publicis: Rethink How You Look at Down Syndrome

You may not have realised it but today is World Down Syndrome Day and to commemorate the occasion, Publicis New York has unveiled its #NotSpecialNeeds initiative, to prove that those that live with the condition shouldn’t be treated differently. 

The humorous spot helmed by Wayne McClammy for Italian charity, CoorDown, confirms that contrary to popular belief people living with Down syndrome don't receive daily cat massages, eat dinosaur eggs or get woken up by celebrities - like Scrubs' John McGinley, who makes a guest appearance in the ad as his son lives with the condition.

The piece was presented at last week’s Conference of the World Down Syndrome Day, titled MyVoiceMyCommunity, which was attended by government officials and held at UN headquarters in New York.

The campaign attempts to get people rethinking the way that they address Down syndrome and mocks the fact that it is often misdiagnosed as a disability.

“The reality is people with Down syndrome do not have different or special needs, although they may sometimes meet those needs in different ways, they have the same needs as all of us… jobs, friends, love and simply the need to be seen and treated equally,” says Publicis CCO Andy Bird.

The main purpose behind the campaign is to dismantle stereotypes around Down syndrome and allow people to better understand the condition. Click here for more information about the #NotSpecialNeeds campaign.