People's Workouts Bring Power to Refugee Camps in the IOC's Winter Olympics Brand Campaign

The International Olympic Committee is asking people to donate their physical activity to help supply solar power for refugee camps in its campaign for the Winter Olympics. Publicis London and Poke created the campaign in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency, the UNHCR. It invites participants to make a "donation" of their physical activity, via the Olympic Channel. The IOC will convert people's recorded activity on fitness trackers into providing solar powered lighting solutions for the Mahama Refugee Camp in Rwanda in co-operation with UNHCR. One step of activity will equal one "spark," with the goal 5,000 "sparks" a day per person. The campaign will be promoted via a series of PSAs that aim to demonstrate how achievements of athletes and the Olympic spirit can motivate people around the world to "Become The Light." The trailer, seen here, demonstrates the importance of light to refugee camps: if they don't have power, the day ends when the sun goes down. Jaron Albertin directed the films via Smuggler. They will be broadcast around the world in collaboration with the official Olympic broadcasters, as well as on the Olympic Channel for the duration of the Winter Olympics. The light donation program will continue after the end of the Games. According to Rebecca Lowell-Edwards, IOC strategic communications director, the campaign builds on the partnership with the UNHCR that saw the creation of the Refugee Nation at the last Olympic Games. It also ties in with the Olympic campaign theme of "light" and with the Olympic Channel's mission to get people more engaged with the Olympic movement outside of the Games themselves. "Our hope is that people will be inspired by the films to consider the connection they have with athletes and with others," she tells Creativity. "Now more than ever the Olympic movement has the power to bring people together."

People's Workouts Bring Power to Refugee Camps in the IOC's Winter Olympics Brand Campaign

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