#WieDuUndIch: The new Pro Infirmis campaign addresses a popular Internet phenomenon

An Internet phenomenon is inspiring people all over the world to join in: Children's photos recreated in great detail using the original as a model are among the most popular images on the Internet today. They combine humor, nostalgia, affection and a pinch of "weirdness" to create an inspiring form of Internet art. However, people with disabilities are rarely seen in such pictures.

Then as now

With the #WieDuUndI campaign, which can be seen throughout Switzerland from Monday, September 7, 2020, Pro Infirmis is once again demonstrating that people with disabilities must be represented and seen everywhere as a natural part of our society. That's why: when adults voluntarily put on rainbow-colored water wings or throw on a self-knitted sweater in 70s chic, there is only one good reason: they are revisiting their childhood in a funny way. It doesn't matter whether the people have a disability or not, everyone is equal here. For the new Pro-Infirmis campaign, people with disabilities rummaged through their childhood photo albums and show childhood photos that mean something to them and that they wanted to recreate. In doing so, they give a self-determined insight into personal moments from their childhood: This is me. Then and now.

Eight subjects were recreated in a professional photo shoot; partly at the location where the photo was once taken, partly in the photo studio with elaborately recreated backdrops - and always with props that were as detailed as possible.

Those affected don't let it get them down

The new awareness campaign celebrates life. This includes beautiful and less beautiful moments - and the range of all moments in between. At the same time, the photos are contemporary witnesses of our society and are seen by the protagonists in their respective contexts: "People used to hide my arms with a T-shirt," recalls Lorenz Vinzens as he takes stock of his very personal then and now. Or: "With several travelers in wheelchairs, we were sometimes put into freight wagons," says Jasmin Rechsteiner. For the people affected, disability is a life-long reality that demands a lot from them, but they don't let it get them down. This is shown by the subjects of the new Pro Infirmis campaign. They focus entirely on the humanity of their protagonists, on their development and the changes they go through in the course of their lives, just like all other people.

Social media campaign calls for solidarity

From September 7, 2020, the posters will be hanging throughout Switzerland. Other protagonists with disabilities will be posting their then-today pictures on social media and all the pictures, as well as making-of films and interviews with the protagonists, can be found on the Pro-Infirmis website.

Parallel to the poster campaign, Pro Infirmis is launching a solidarity campaign on social media: With the hashtag #WieDuUndI, users can decorate their Facebook and Instagram profile picture and show their solidarity with people with disabilities. The aim is for the inclusion of people with disabilities to become a matter of course everywhere, offline and online. Because it concerns us all.

As in the previous year, Pro Infirmis worked with the CRK agency for the 2020 campaign. In 2019, popular advertising subjects were recreated to show that people with disabilities are not usually featured in advertising (Werbewoche.ch reported).