A viral Apple ad praised as “a touching tribute” to the inclusivity of sport has thrust Bydgoszcz and its role in Polish sport into the spotlight.
Titled ‘The Relay’, the four-minute ad was directed by former Oscar nominee, Derek Cianfrance, and has amassed nearly eight million views since its release last week.
Featuring two mixed teams of athletes with and without disabilities, The Relay begins with glorious overhead footage of Bydgoszcz’s Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium before cutting to the athletes as they begin their day and prepare for an epic head-to-head.
Throughout, various Apple apps are showcased to underscore the elements aimed at those with accessibility issues.
It is the relay race, however, that takes center stage. In it, the para athletes number a blade-runner, a wheelchair sprinter, a low-vision swimmer, and a cyclist with upper limb deficiencies.
Voiceovers are used to describe their experience: “I was never told ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that’,” says the cyclist. “As a kid, all I wanted to do was run and race, just like my friends,” says the blade-runner.
The ad was timed to coincide with next week’s Paralympics in Paris and, in the process, to blur the line between the competing para athletes and their Olympic counterparts.
The shoot location of Apple’s ad feels particularly relevant given that Poland’s 84-strong squad will themselves depart from Bydgoszcz next week.
He added: “Out of millions of stadiums in the world, ours was chosen, and we are incredibly proud of that.”
While unable to reveal too much due to non-disclosure agreements, Struski did say that Apple were attracted by the stadium’s coloring, its blue running track, and the lack of a wraparound roof. “The idea was to create the atmosphere of an intimate place, not a behemoth,” he said.
Rebuilt in 2008 to hold 20,000, the stadium has been viewed as the home of Polish athletics long before its reconstruction. Hosting the Polish Athletics Championships 16 times, other seminal events include two editions of the IAAF World Junior Championships and the World Para Athletics European Championships.
Equally associated with football (the stadium is known as the home to the city’s premier side, Zawisza Bydgoszcz), the ground has also hosted two Polish Cup Finals as well as the national side on 10 occasions.
Featuring two mixed teams of athletes with and without disabilities, The Relay begins with glorious overhead footage of Bydgoszcz’s Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium before cutting to the athletes as they begin their day and prepare for an epic head-to-head.
Throughout, various Apple apps are showcased to underscore the elements aimed at those with accessibility issues.
It is the relay race, however, that takes center stage. In it, the para athletes number a blade-runner, a wheelchair sprinter, a low-vision swimmer, and a cyclist with upper limb deficiencies.
Voiceovers are used to describe their experience: “I was never told ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that’,” says the cyclist. “As a kid, all I wanted to do was run and race, just like my friends,” says the blade-runner.
The ad was timed to coincide with next week’s Paralympics in Paris and, in the process, to blur the line between the competing para athletes and their Olympic counterparts.
The shoot location of Apple’s ad feels particularly relevant given that Poland’s 84-strong squad will themselves depart from Bydgoszcz next week.
Speaking to Gazeta Wyborcza, Krzysztof Struski, the stadium’s sports center, said: “We are proud of Bydgoszcz and our stadium. It’s also worth emphasizing that our Paralympians are flying to Paris from here; they trained here, they slept here.”New accessibility ad from Apple called "The Relay" pic.twitter.com/JxxiBElEiU
— Aaron (@aaronp613) August 14, 2024
He added: “Out of millions of stadiums in the world, ours was chosen, and we are incredibly proud of that.”
While unable to reveal too much due to non-disclosure agreements, Struski did say that Apple were attracted by the stadium’s coloring, its blue running track, and the lack of a wraparound roof. “The idea was to create the atmosphere of an intimate place, not a behemoth,” he said.
Rebuilt in 2008 to hold 20,000, the stadium has been viewed as the home of Polish athletics long before its reconstruction. Hosting the Polish Athletics Championships 16 times, other seminal events include two editions of the IAAF World Junior Championships and the World Para Athletics European Championships.
Equally associated with football (the stadium is known as the home to the city’s premier side, Zawisza Bydgoszcz), the ground has also hosted two Polish Cup Finals as well as the national side on 10 occasions.
Source: Gazeta Wyborcza
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