ABOUT

Millions of people around the world have lower-limb paralysis and use a wheelchair or other device to aid mobility. But most of these devices haven’t seen any innovation in decades. The Toyota Mobility Foundation and Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre set out to change this, launching a global $4 million Mobility Unlimited Challenge to find the next big thing in mobility innovation and hiring 89up as integrated communications partner.

Our Labs team has developed bespoke data mining & social mapping tools to uncover the most influential disability advocates and assistive technology communities online. Our creative and PR team have crafted multi-faceted content from orchestrating a photoshoot with a number of well known global ambassadors and photographer - all with lower-limb paralysis, throwing down the gauntlet to inventors; commissioning polling of worldwide wheelchair users to uncover the daily challenges they face and encouraging UGC about the types of devices wheelchair users would like to see created (launched by Ade Adepitan); to creating a 3 part online documentary and futuristic visions of the future with a 3D artist. Each of our campaign moments has centred on collaborating with end users - focusing on their experiences, faces and voices. And a high proportion of our cast and crew has been made up of those with a disability.

Throughout this project 89up has inspired over 80 entrants from 28 countries, secured 350+ pieces of coverage globally, from Forbes, The Economist, BBC News, Sky News, and CNN, o design and tech titles including TechCrunch, Creative Review, Dezeen and Quartz, and reached over 60 million people on social.