“Assume That I Can!” Uplifting Down Syndrome Campaign's Message Of Positivity
Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day, a new advertising campaign was launched — and it quickly made people do a complete mental U-turn. You see, few genetic defects are more misunderstood than Down syndrome (DS), and the campaign’s message was all about combatting some of those misunderstandings. In fact, its message of positivity — and learning not to unintentionally hamper those with Down syndrome — may end up making it one of the most successful PSA campaigns of modern times.
“You assume I can’t”
On March 15, 2024, the commercial hit Instagram — and it quickly went viral. Produced by Small New York and CoorDown, the clip opens with a young woman with Down syndrome — Madison Tevlin — speaking with a bartender, who hands her a soda instead of the margarita she asked for.
Her voiceover then declares, “Hey bartender, you assume that I can’t drink a margarita; so, you don’t serve me a margarita; so, I don’t drink a margarita. Your assumption becomes reality.”
“You assume… so I don’t”
Next, we see Tevlin brushing her teeth, while her parents hover around her keeping a watchful eye. Then they tuck her into bed like she’s a little kid, all while she looks decidedly unamused. The voiceover intones, “Parents, you assume that I cannot live on my own.”
Tevlin continues, “So, you don’t encourage me to live on my own. So, I don’t live on my own.” She then is discouraged from boxing training, and a teacher refuses to teach her Shakespeare like the rest of her class.
“Instead…assume that I can”
Then thate bottle of soda handed over by the bartender is shown smashing into a zillion pieces — and everything changes. Tevlin declares, “But hey — if your assumptions become reality… then assume that I can drink a margarita!”
All of a sudden, we are shown Tevlin drinking a margarita, living by herself, boxing up a storm, and reciting Shakespeare to the camera — with a hilariously placed expletive added for emphasis. Tevlin smiles, “You assumed I couldn’t swear, right?”
“So maybe I will”
We are then shown a montage of people with Down syndrome living perfectly normal lives: going to work, hitting the town with friends, being treated as adults by their contemporaries, and even having sexual relationships.
The clip finishes with a gathering of those with Downs staring directly at the camera as they declare, “Assume that I can, so maybe I will.” All in all, the commercial is a stirring call to arms for everyone around the world to alter their thinking.