Lincoln ad features amputee triathlete
January 27th, 2008
While we’re on the subject of people with disabilities hawking products, check out the Lincoln MKZ ad on page 3 of this morning’s New York Times magazine. It features the lovely Sarah Reinertsen, clad in a short-short workout suit that shows off her prosthetic leg and blade. Reinertsen is the first female amputee to compete and finish the Ford Ironman Triathlon Kona, a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run.
Unlike the Pepsi Super Bowl ad, which relies on humor to challenge expectations and celebrate diversity, this one serves up a double helping of the traditional “triumph over adversity” disability message. An excerpt:
Don’t ever give up on what you believe in. Not once. Not ever. My dream is to do extraordinary things every day …
… My parents always treated me like any other kid. And when I fell, my mom didn’t always rush to pick me up. “Sarah’s going to pick herself up.” it was a really important lesson for me to learn. For me to keep up, I always had to be tougher than the rest. And I think that’s still true today.
The magazine spread is keyed to the Lincoln “Dreams” ad campaign, kicked off during an NBC NFL broadcast in October. The TV version shows Reinert driving through New York City in a luxury Lincoln, stepping out to reveal her prosthetic leg and joining a group on a run through the city. On Youtube.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, January 27th, 2008 at 7:59 am and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, advertising, limb loss, media, personal stories, success stories.
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