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It was a statement that could break any mother’s heart. As his eleventh birthday drew close, Colin asked his mother to not throw a party. Reason: he did not have any friends to invite.
Colin has Asperger’s Syndrome, a condition characterised by significant difficulties in social interaction and non-verbal communication.
Hurt deeply by these words, his mother decided to set up a Facebook page to wish her son a happy birthday. Within a week, an overwhelming 1.5 million people from around the world had posted birthday wishes for Colin on the page. Yet, Colin has no clue about his newfound friend list. His mother has decided to unveil it to him as a birthday surprise.
We at cat.a.lyst spoke to brand consultants, who felt brands could use such platforms to take up the cause of Colin and others who have Asperger’s Syndrome, and show the world that brands too have a conscience.
Among the brands suggested were McDonald’s, which has a large following among children who celebrate birthday parties at its outlets. Or even cellular services provider Airtel, which ran that memorable campaign Har ek friend zaroori hota hai (every friend is a must-have).
Send your reader response or any brand activity that you might run to coincide with Colin’s birthday to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in
By the way, Colin’s birthday is on March 9
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