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Time to make a Change.

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Gordonmrln
Gordonmrln Community member Posts: 35 Courageous
in Disability rights and campaigning
Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well, I just wanted to post this topic with the hope that you might be, A/interested and B/hopefully follow what I'm trying to achieve. I am looking at launching an online petition at the "Change.org" web site. My petition is looking at trying to get the advertising industry to include and use more disabled people in their main stream advertising. I have only seen one disabled person on a TV advert recently. That was the "Maltesers" advert which uses two different disabled individuals to market their product. Now when you think of the amount of advertising that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Also the amount and range of products that are tried to tempt us. Then why are their very little disabled people used to promote these items. We have as much spending power as able bodied people do. It seems that the only time the disabled get any mainstream TV air time, is when we are doing as well as the able bodied athletes do in the Olympic games, and the Para-Olympics show that we do want to be treated as normally as possible. And for me that means we should be given the chances as able bodied people are given.
So I am looking at getting enough signatures that, A- the advertising industry will look at making some changes, and also B- that the government might look at making some statement or policy to say that we should be included in mainstream advertising. After all we do buy items just like everyone else, so why not include disabled people in selling those items of, Clothing, food, household items, their are No items that exempt from purchasing by a disabled person. As we are in the minority, why should we be even more excluded from daily life. 
So let me know your thoughts and views on what I am trying to promote in "Trying to make a Difference"  I hope that you will look at backing my online petition. At the moment it has not yet been launched as I am awaiting a reply from Disability fight for fashion rights with regards to a picture I want to use to launch my petition. It is a photo of four beautiful ladies all disabled and representing " Models of Diversity" once I get the permission to use this photo as my lead picture for my petition then I will be ready to put my petition live.
So until then I am just playing the waiting game, I will enjoy any feed back and advice you care to give me, as I am passionate about disability rights so this is something I feel very strongly about.
As Always I thank you for your help and advice. (Thank You)

image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6027153/uploads/editor/xu/zi4unzo5zko2.jpg



Read more at https://community.scope.org.uk/discussion/33256/trying-to-make-a-difference#C6mpFXiszuk2aeHh.99
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  • bendigedig
    bendigedig Community member Posts: 254 Pioneering
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    Hi @Gordonmrln

    An interesting issue.

    I think I'm right in thinking that the Advertising industry and the rest of the "hidden persuaders". Have a range of demographic target audiences?

    They choose models etc. For advertising for specific reasons.  They will have portfolios of "disabled models" for "disabled jobs".  In much the same way they have "cute kids" for "cute kid jobs" or "toothless pensioners" for "toothless pensioner" jobs.  I think thats the nature of things?

    What im sying is, that to place, say, an ambulantly diasabled person in a crisp advert or a soft drinks comercial would be simply an off the scale suggestion for them.  Why would they do it?  That is what they would ask.  What would it achieve?  Im sure some would consider it if your campaign took off though (positive product placement by association with a "good cause").  

    The advertising industry is, im sure, a dog eat dog world.  They are interested only in research driven successful campaigns.  Thats how they make their money.  Capitalism is not a charity!

    They wouldnt be able to compute what it was you were asking of them.  They would complain that it would confuse the target audiences inherrent conditioning to their long cultured relationship with advertising.

    Was it BENNETON or some company that tried to break this mold deliberately for shock value?  You know, including aputees etc in its adverts?  Can' remember (dont think its important who).  It was about riding the shock value of the whole campaign, whatever it was.  Dont shoot me for not getting my facts right please, I'm just trying to illustrate a point.  

    Exploitation is the order of the day in all business in the modern world.  We live in a very cruel, manipulative and very cynical society

    Then aside from dissability in advertising the wider medias forray into challenging disability stereotypes in recent years has in some instances been both interesting and somtimes very compenable.  "American Horror" springs to mind as a vehicle to challenging stereotypes.  Also tne fine example provided by Cbeebees shouldnt go unmentioned.  The lovely Cbeebees presenter who has one arm partially absent is a great example of the media challenging societal stereotyping through the appointment of front of house media representatives.

    As I recall some very ignorant viewers actually complained to the BBC about the absence of her arm!  (Dear God!)

    Did it ever occur to you though that many people "used" in advertising may have hidden disabilities?  Somthing to think about?

    In essense I support you in what you are doing.  I think anything that challenges to the status quo in relation to the perception of disability is a good thing.  Well done from me.  I myself am being denied the right to work through dissability predjudice, amongst other things.  You have my support.

    Just be carefull about what it is you are trying to achieve?  Formulate a clear aim and or objectives and do everybody proud.  I'll sign it for you definately.







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  • Gordonmrln
    Gordonmrln Community member Posts: 35 Courageous
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    I thank you very much for your reply and you have raised some very interesting point that I will gladly take on board. As for the clarity of what I am trying to gain or achieve, it is just to get more disabled people used in our mainstream advertising. And if the industry say that it would not work, then I am quite willing to hit them with the disabled discrimination act. Its about time that not just the advertising industry but the whole industrial community as a whole started to see further than the end of their noses. I have read recently that the FA and the premiership are getting hauled over the coals for not getting their stadiums disabled friendly and accessible. This is long over due, and I think that this is just scratching the surface. There are still loads of places that don't have disabled access, and its time that these businesses were and are brought to account and made to make the changes that are required. If it was a matter of public safety then it would be done in a flash. But as we are the minority and mostly the forgotten till it comes to benefits like the DLA change to PIP. Then the government says that it's doing this to help disabled and to make it easier for them. I have yet to hear a single disabled person to say that this new benefit change is oh so much better than what was in place. I was always told as a boy growing up who was so interested at how things worked, that I was always taking things apart to see how they worked, "If it isn't broke then don't fix it" which as a child makes no sense whatsoever. But as an adult It is quite easy to grasp the meaning behind the phrase, and it is very true in most circumstances but there is the flip side that we do need to make changes to progress but not change for changes sake. I know I've gone off at a tangent but when I get on my disabled soap box I am so passionate about disabled rights and the fact that they always seem to get short changed when it comes to disability rights and issues. I know we have public offices that are their to make sure that the disabled are treated fairly, but for me I think its a dog with no teeth, it has a bark but no bite. very rarely does it get aired that some company or firm has been taken to hand over its treatment to the disabled and being made accountable for their actions. I hope that when I get my petition to go live that if we can get the issue in the news or on headlines then I will consider that as a small victory in bringing the disabled rights back in public view, If we could get the advertisers to start to include more disabled in mainstream advertising or in advertising in general then I would consider that as a miracle. Any way back to the point which was to thank bendigedig for his contribution and support and I shall take your advice on board, once again thank you for your encouraging word and support.  
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  • Alex
    Alex Posts: 1,305 Pioneering
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    Thanks for sharing @Gordonmrln

    You might be interested in previous discussions we've had about presentation of disabled people:
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  • iza
    iza Scope Member Posts: 703 Pioneering
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    Hi @Gordonmrln, 
    Very good idea. 
    But instead baiting for the permission to use a photo why not to ask few girls (disable) to participate in campaign to create new photo and launch the petition as soon as possible. I will definitely sign it up as soon as you share with us the link. 
     What if they will not get you permission for using the image? Do not wait just act and create your own photo. 

    I am awaiting link from you anyway to share here. 

    Have a great time. 

    Iza 



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  • bendigedig
    bendigedig Community member Posts: 254 Pioneering
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    @Gordonmrln

    I wish you the very best with your endeavours.  I totally get where you are comming from.

    The greatest enemy of disability rights is actualy the apathy displayed by many.  Sadly those with disabilities somtimes!   I know how this can feel somtimes.  Ive been pole axed by depresion in my life and often its hard to do anything,  even for yourself and your family.

    You are certainly not guilty of apathy.  That deserves a bit of respect I think. :). I take my cap off to you mate.  Its a shame others can't be so pasionate and forthright about trying to get somthing done.

    Keep up the good work :)

    If I can help in any way just ask.  I will try my best :)



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  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
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    Models of Diversity are a charity who aim for "the promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by promoting greater diversity in the fashion, beauty and media industries, where people of minority ethnic origin, older people, larger and smaller people, people with a disability, and non-binary gender people are under-represented."

    I would be surprised if they allowed you to use their images for your own campaign.

    As @iza says, why not create your own image? 
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
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