Universal Pictures’ Wicked opens in theaters this Friday. In conjunction with the film’s opening, NBCUniversal announced in a press release issued today it has collaborated with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) in the creation of what’s described as a “powerful” public service announcement highlighting “accessibility and opportunity.” The PSA will be airing on Comcast NBCUniversal-owned networks and digital platforms in “donated media inventory,” according to NBCUniversal.
Donated media inventory is industry jargon which refers to advertising space media companies provide in goodwill to non-paying advertisers.
NBCUniversal described the PSA in its announcement as “[intercutting] scenes from Wicked with real-life footage of CAF athletes, illustrating the journey of overcoming obstacles, reaching new heights and the profound impact of mentorship.” The media conglomerate added the work with Challenged Athletes Foundation aims to “raise awareness of the importance of accessibility and inclusivity [and] celebrating individuals who defy limitations and embrace their full potential.”
In a recent interview with me conducted via videoconference, NBCUniversal’s executive vice president of corporate social responsibility Hilary Smith explained the organization “sits in the center of a lot of big cultural moments” such as the Olympics and Paralympics. She said Wicked is a “tentpole film the company put its marketing muscle behind,” adding “we wanted to leverage that attention for CAF.” This is important in context of social responsibility, with Smith saying she believes “we can help nonprofits gain awareness by leveraging these big events that are happening in and around the company to get more attention for organizations like CAF.”
“We knew we had big moments and we wanted to raise awareness for accessibility,” Smith said of the project’s impetus. “[We] thought those two themes connected so well with the Paralympics and Wicked.”
Smith told me one of the main characters in Wicked, Nessarose, is a wheelchair user. The actress who plays her in the movie, Marissa Bode, is paraplegic after becoming disabled in a car crash when she was 11 years old. Smith said production on Wicked was made intentionally accessible for Bode, which “really showed the way she made her way around the set.” Thematically, Smith said the film is all about “defying gravity” and reaching one’s fullest potential—both are notions, she said to me, which “dovetailed so nicely with the subject of accessibility.”
Smith said work on the PSA “took about four months,” with the spot having a dual objective. Smith said the spot not only would help “drive movie attendance,” it would amplify awareness of the disability community and accessibility as well. It’s a classic win-win situation.
As to the CAF’s role in this work, the nonprofit’s CEO in Kristine Entwistle told me CAF has been around for three decades and is devoted to “[helping] individuals with physical disabilities live an active lifestyle.” The CAF, she added, helps adaptive athletes in procuring costly equipment for their sport(s), as well as assisting with training. Entwistle has been with the organization 20 years, telling me it’s been a “rewarding career” for her to know she’s helped so many people. The joint venture with NBCUniversal, Entwistle explained, came about partly due to the nonprofit’s work in helping Paralympians and NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab. In late May, a PSA produced by Venice Arts was released with 100 days left before the Paralympic Games began in Paris. It featured track and field athlete Derek Loccident, who participated in the Games using a prosthetic leg given to him by Entwistle and CAF.
“We [at CAF] have a message of inclusion. Athletes with disabilities deserve the chance to play [and] to compete at all levels of sport, whether that’s entry level or elite levels, at any age,” Entwistle said. “Sports are such an important part of the human experience and how it truly empowers people. It increases self-esteem. It increases independence and through inclusion, people’s lives are transformed. For us, we stand for making sure athletes have those opportunities.”
Entwistle called Smith and team at NBCUniversal “such professionals.” Entwistle effusively praised the company for “quickly [understanding] the mission and the importance of the work CAF does and how it impacts people’s lives.” She added NBCUniversal has “been an incredible partner in the work that’s providing visibility for people with disabilities and showing the world what they are capable of and how they are such an important part of society and how they should show up in media.”
“They’ve been incredible partners,” Entwistle said of NBCUniversal.
For her part, Smith told me the work with CAF and the Wicked PSA is instructive insofar as it shows NBCUniversal’s institutional values. She described the company as “inclusive” and one that “cares about showcasing things that are important.” NBCUniversal isn’t a fly-by-night company; its scale is such that, Smith said, “we have the reach to shine a light on these important topics.” Everyone at NBCUniversal doesn’t take its position for granted… it’s something they take “seriously,” Smith said.
When asked about feedback and the vibes on the PSA, Smith said NBCUniversal “feels great” and noted “it’s always good when you’re able to do good for the world and do good for business at the same time.” She added the PSA is particularly benefitting to CAF, saying it should end up garnering lots of attention for them. It’s “so gratifying” for NBCUniversal to have another hand in helping an organization like CAF, Smith said.
“Our whole team is thrilled and our community is thrilled,” Entwistle said of the CAF’s reception to the PSA. “One of the experiences for people with disabilities and the community we serve is they don’t always feel seen and don’t always feel heard. They don’t always feel represented or have access. To have this major media partner [in NBCUniversal] who’s giving them a place to show up means so much beyond just the PSAs. It’s elevating—it’s elevating them personally and they’re worth showcasing and worth talking about. [It makes disabled people feel] they belong along with everybody else in media and in opportunity.”
Looking forward to the future, both Smith and Entwistle expressed mutual desires to stay in touch and work together again. Entwistle is excited for CAF to get its name out there more widely, which she said should help “drive requests” for more services and everything else the organization touches. For NBCUniversal, Smith told me the company wants to “measure the impact” of these spots, telling me the Paralympics PSA resulted in a spike in web traffic for CAF. Prior to then, NBCUniversal hadn’t worked with CAF, but Smith said her side has developed a deep respect and appreciation for the nonprofit’s mission.
“I hope this is the beginning of a long-term relationship NBCUniversal has with the Challenged Athletes Foundation,” Smith said.