Brazilian NPC launches Paralympic Heart campaign

The Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) launched on Wednesday (9 December) its new campaign to attract fans to celebrate the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

"Paralympic Heart" was officially unveiled during Brazil's 2015 Paralympic Awards, which rewarded the country's best Paralympians.

IPC Athletics 200m T47 world champion Yohansson Nascimento leads the group of athletes who appear on the one minute video, alongside goalball star Leomon Moreno, Natália Mayara (wheelchair tennis) and Jady Malavazzi (cycling).

Produced by Biruta Filmes, the film also has 15-second and 30-second versions, designed for social media. The campaign will unfold in three different stages until Rio 2016 opens on 7 September.

Ana Bacellar, CPB marketing director, said: "Our goal with the campaign is to engage all the Brazilian fans. The first of the three stages will feature a film entitled #NaMesmaBatida (#InTheSameBeat), which will be shown until the Paralympic Games. We do want to focus on passion, because that is what does not let us give in. We want to wake up the Brazilians' passion for the Paralympic Movement."

The team of Brazilian Paralympic Ambassadors will help boost the campaign. The roster includes Brazilian international football players Romario, Ronaldinho Gaucho, former Formula 1 world champions Emerson Fittipaldi, Ayrton Senna (in memoriam), judo Olympic medallist Flavio Canto, former tennis star Gustavo Kuerten, TV presenters and models Fernanda Lima and Rodrigo Hilbert, as well as Luiz Severiano Ribeiro, businessman and chair of the Kinoplex Group.

"Obviously, we looked to the Rio 2016's logo, which represents the heart of the Paralympic athlete. Our 'Paralympic Heart' represents the 200 million fans who will be supporting our athletes, all in the same rhythm, celebrating and helping us to get to the top of the podium, the place we deserve to be," said Andrew Parsons, President of CPB and IPC vice-president.