CoorDown's positive assumptions

In this new campaign for The National Coordination of Associations of People with Down Syndrome [CoorDown] Madison Tevlin, a young woman with Down syndrome, challenges the low expectations others have of her, proposing a reversal of perspective. 

The campaign was created by SMALL New York and directed by Rich Lee, through Indiana Production in Milan, and though the international campaign started with CoorDown in Italy, it sees the contribution of several international associations that are simultaneously launching the film worldwide.

Whether at school, in the workplace, at home or in her community, Tevlin bemoans the assumptions people make about her, with the campaign calling for everyone to put an end to prejudice and support the concrete potential of each person who has Down syndrome.

Initially those around her believe that she cannot drink a cocktail, be a boxer, study Shakespeare, live alone or achieve important goals. Then, halfway through the film, there’s a twist in which Tevlin forcefully invites the viewer - and society at large - to think outside the box and use the self-fulfilling prophecy positively: if you believe in me and trust in me, you can have a positive impact. Then, maybe, I will achieve goal. Even unexpected ones.

Tevlin herself is real proof of this having started her career at the age of 12 after her cover of John Legend’s All of Me went viral. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, she is a model, advocate and actor, with her credits including an iconic role as Cosentino in the film Champions, starring Woody Harrelson and directed by Bobby Farrelly. Tevlin is the first person with Down syndrome to be nominated for a Canadian Screen Award, for Best Host, Talk Show or Entertainment News. She is also a member of Best Buddies International, walked the runway as part of the Knix Confidence Tour, was the keynote speaker at the Dear Mom conference in Laguna Beach, and received the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy award in 2023 from the Global Down syndrome Foundation. 

"This year, we wanted to make a very different film than in previous years," said Luca Lorenzini and Luca Pannese, Executive Creative Directors at SMALL. "Taking inspiration from a speech Marta Sodano gave to the United Nations a few years ago, we set out to give a strong message against prejudice. Thanks to Madison's great acting skills and versatility, and the talent of director Rich Lee, we made a film full of energy that we hope will help break down the stereotypes that still restrict the dreams and plans of people with Down syndrome."

"Every year, CoorDown, with their creative and production partners tries to disrupt perception on the world of disabilities with a campaign that can carry the weight of a strong creative insight that can shine a new light on stereotypes and biases that are part of the lives of people with Down syndrome - and all intellectual disabilities as a whole," added Karim Bartoletti, Partner/MD/Executive Producer at Indiana Production. "We thought the insight of the campaign was so strong that we adopted it in every aspect of production: You Assume that I will shoot this campaign like any other commercial that deals with disabilities? You assume we cannot find an actor or an actress that can carry the weight of the whole film on his or her shoulder? You assume we cannot get Rich Lee to direct it and Chris Probst to light it? If we want to create awareness and break boundaries through the work that we create and produce, we need to do it ourselves. We assumed that we could, and we certainly did, because it shows in the originality and power and creative strength of this year’s CoorDown campaign. We are very proud of how this campaign is unlike anything else we have seen or done before."