This article appears in the March/April 2019 issue of Strategy.

The Wins: The Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba’s “Locked out of Life” by UpHouse
Bronze Diversity; Bronze Experiential Engagement

It’s easy to switch off and disengage from a static visual that simply requires passive attention. But tactile experiences drive empathy. And, as a result, provoke participants to confront their own prejudice.

The Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba set out to educate Canadians on what it’s like to live with the disorder, particularly when they’ve lost the support they rely on.

Tyson Sylvester is a young man with disabilities who is fighting to get back the social services that were taken away after graduating high school. Uphouse filmed Tyson making the issue public for the first time when he locked himself in a jail cell in Winnipeg’s busy Old Market Square.

Though visually discomfiting, people were encouraged to walk up to the jail cell and listen to a recording of Tyson telling his story.
The “Locked Out of Life” video reached more than 150,000 people on Facebook and over 2,100 people have signed a petition demanding better services for adults with physical disabilities in the province.

A different kind of bridal registry

You are reading a deep dive into the insight and ideas that propelled the winners of the 2019 AToMiC Awards to success. For the full list of winners, visit the AToMiC website, and be sure to check back for more deep dives into this year’s award-winning work.

This article appears in the March/April 2019 issue of strategy.

The Wins: Interval House’s “The Broken Bride Registry” by Union
Bronze Idea; Bronze Experiential Engagement

Like issues around disabilities, domestic abuse is often not spoken about. Interval House and Union brought the fact that abuse often begins at the start of a marriage to life via the “Broken Bride Registry.” It was like any regular wedding registry, but featured items like “Jealous Rage Bandages,” “Cigarette Burn Cream,” and the “Don’t Talk Back Arm Sling.” The items were displayed in a booth at Canada’s largest bridal show, where people could pick up a registry scanner and listen to real stories of abuse.

People could add Interval House to their actual bridal registry, so the organisation anticipates a significant spike in donations come next wedding season.