Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games set to engage global audiences on digital

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will reach new audiences, through VR, content hubs and engaging activations.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will bring the world to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, engaging fans through a series of digital experiences across all major social media platforms, complementing the record-breaking broadcast coverage.

“Tokyo 2020 will be the most digitally connected Paralympic Games ever,” said Natalia Dannenberg-Spreier, IPC Head of Brand and Engagement.

“The global pandemic has meant that we can’t bring the world physically to Tokyo, but we hope that fans at home can feel some of the emotion through our digital experiences.

“We know that the Paralympic Games changes peoples’ attitudes towards disability and in a year where the global pandemic has disproportionately affected persons with disabilities, it was more important than ever for us to ensure that we engage broad audiences to help to change the storyline of disability.”

Tweet #SamsungXParalympics to trigger a pic on opening night.

The Paralympics kick off with a collaboration between the IPC and Samsung on Twitter. During the Opening Ceremony, fans will be able to trigger behind-the-scenes cameras using #SamsungXParalympics on Twitter to get a peek backstage before athletes come out for the parade of nations.

Live streams

Catch live streams as well as clips and highlights from 13 official Paralympic broadcasters around the world on the YouTube and Facebook. The IPC  YouTube channel and Facebook Page will also be streaming more than 1,200 hours of live sports and highlights across 219 territories.

Apps

In addition, the IPC has launched its first-ever mobile app – ParalympicsLIVE, which is available on Android and iOS where fans can watch live streams and get live results. In addition, the Tokyo 2020 official app will bring you more news and results, as well as the opportunity to vote for The Visa Award, which features moments that rise above competition and nationality, representing the best of who we can be, uplifting us all in the process.

Hubs

Google, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter will showcase Paralympic content in engaging hubs.

Google Search and Google Assistant can help fans find the latest information on their favourite team and Paralympians. Fans can also see where to watch the Games live and catch up with daily recap videos and check out the top news related to the Paralympic Games. With Google Images, users are able to see photo galleries of some of the best photos of the day from Getty Images. There is also a little surprise in store for anyone searching for Paralympic content. Try it to find out.

On the Facebook app, the hub includes highlights from official Paralympic broadcast partners, team and athlete overviews, a Paralympic Games quiz, posts from friends. Fans can visit the hub beginning 23 August by clicking on the #Paralympics hashtag, as well as the Facebook wordmark.

Snapchat show

Ahead of the Paralympic Games, the IPC launched a new show on Snapchat called Best of Paralympics. During the Games, the show will feature highlights and behind-the-scenes content from the Paralympic Games.

Hashtag challenge and TikTok lives

To complement the global #DisabilityAwareness hashtag challenge that was launched on TikTok as part of the #WeThe15 campaign, #Paralympics will give users an insight into the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the daily lives of athletes. Throughout the Games, a series of live streams from @Paralympics will give a unique insight into life in the Paralympic Village.

Behind-the-scenes content will also be shared by the Samsung Paralympic Vloggers.

Games

During the course of the Paralympics the Google Search homepage will host its interactive Doodle game the 'Doodle Champion Island Games' once more, this time with extra quests and levels. Click on the Doodle to enter the gameworld, join a team and compete against reigning Champions across table tennis, archery, rugby and more, featuring characters with and without a disability.

In addition, the IPC’s first ever Paralympic game, the Pegasus Dream Tour, is available on Android and iOS. The avatar role-playing game places players into a virtual Paralympic Games held in a fantasy, futuristic, inclusive and diverse metropolis known as Pegasus City.

VR experience

The IPC has collaborated with Facebook to build 'Paralympics Raw: Emotion Unites Us', an immersive WebXR visual and spatial audio experience that recreates phenomenal moments by Para athletes. The experience features the voices of athletes — including Birgit Skarstein, Katie Kelly, Chan Ho Yuen, Lex Gillette and Abbas Karimi — who share their stories of competing in Para Sport and at the Paralympic Games. With animated visuals and spatial sound, users feel like they’re in the moment with the athlete. Fans can access the experience by visiting the Raw Emotions page via their desktop, mobile or Oculus browsers from 24 August.

Filters

Via the @Paralympics Instagram account, fans will have access to an AR effect that enables them to attempt to mirror the movements of Someity, the official Paralympics mascot, and earn AR medals for their performances. The @Wethe15 Instagram account and Paralympics Facebook and Snapchat accounts will also feature an AR effect to help fans promote the WeThe15 movement, which aims to end discrimination against people with disabilities, who make up 15% of the global population. On TikTok users are able to show their support for both the Games and WeThe15 with a special purple Paralympic Flame filter, incorporating the colours of the WeThe15 campaign.

Gifs, stickers emojis

The IPC are also working closely with Giphy and Tenor to showcase the very best GIFs from Tokyo 2020, creating a series of heart-warming and emotional moments of athletes from across all sports. Search #Paralympics to use the GIFs on social media platforms. Stickers are also available for Instagram and Facebook stories.

Hashtag emojis will be available on Twitter from 23 August for all countries competing, sports, #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics, #OpeningCeremony, #ClosingCeremony as well as #gold, #silver and bronze and #WeThe15. These will be available in up to 20 languages.

In addition, the IPC is providing updates and engaging content via Weibo and Douyin for Chinese speakers.