A WINNING MINDSET: LESSONS FROM THE PARALYMPICS

A Winning Mindset is an inclusive podcast series collaboration between the International Paralympic Committee, its worldwide partner Allianz and content agency LiveWire Sport, providing a platform for Para athletes to drive a cultural shift in the way disability is perceived, while providing listeners with key learnings to apply in their personal and professional lives.

Hosted by broadcaster Andy Stevenson, whose own disability enables him to steer conversations into sometimes uncomfortable territories with the Para-athletes, the podcast pushes boundaries beyond the barriers of normal conversation. Guests opened up about their life-changing stories; arson attacks, accidents, mental health issues, isolated childhoods. All told in raw, open, extraordinary detail, and with a purpose – making for enlightening, educational but, most importantly, engaging listening.

The podcast’s strategy focussed on transferable lessons that all listeners – able-bodied or disabled – could apply to their own lives. Some topics made for uncomfortable listening – but that was our intention. The more open and honest the conversation, the more the listener could feel affinity and empathy for each guest.

And it worked:

110k+ listens across podcast platforms
61.4/38.6% male-female listenership split
40% listeners under 35
20m+ reach for podcast posts across @IPC social platforms
All episode transcribed and available on the IPC website for users with hearing impairments
Featured episodes in Spanish and Hungarian, translated into English
4.9 star average listener review

Through an organic and paid distribution strategy, we reached target audiences and new listeners on podcast and social platforms, while it was used in Allianz’s internal wellbeing programme, with staff from key markets invited to interview sponsored athletes, helping staff deal with wider mental health and COVID-related issues. To cement its success, a second series was also commissioned and is set to launch in October.