Heroes of Today - | Clapboard Ad Archive
Heroes of Today is a groundbreaking campaign launched in Spain in 2019 by DDB that confronts racial discrimination in sports by drawing a direct line between the historic achievements of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and the contemporary struggles athletes face against intolerance. This public interest initiative employs a powerful short film to recount Owens’s journey alongside 17 other African-American athletes, using real tweets to highlight ongoing racial abuse and social prejudice within the sports community. The campaign transcends mere historical retelling by activating a coalition of prominent Spanish brands—including the Professional Football League, Iberia, Correos, Telepizza, Baviera Clinic, and 11811—who collectively amplify the message and embody a shared commitment to social progress. The digital platform Losheroesdehoy.com extends the narrative beyond film, inviting public participation by showcasing authentic stories of everyday individuals who challenge discrimination in their own spheres, reinforcing the campaign’s role as a catalyst for dialogue and change. By positioning the campaign platform itself as the product, DDB adopts a storytelling approach that fits squarely within Clapboard’s FORMAT#5—Exemplary Story—where the narrative arc is driven by real events and human heroism to advance a meaningful cultural cause. The campaign’s creative strategy leverages the emotional weight of Owens’s legacy to validate contemporary calls for equality, making the brand platform a living embodiment of ongoing resistance against racial injustice in sport and society. Clapboard rates this 69/100. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how sports marketing can harness historical narrative and collective brand collaboration to activate social responsibility and foster inclusivity at scale.
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