A Minn. Toddler's Story Is Changing The Advertising Industry
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Stillwater toddler with Down syndrome made quite an impression when she appeared in a Target ad last December.
Izzy Bradley was chosen after the retailer put out a call for children with disabilities to take part in a photo shoot. The ad and the news coverage about the 2-year-old went viral, and now many more retailers are looking for kids like her.
Izzy's mom, Heather Bradley, says the positive feedback about her daughter's appearance in that Target ad was overwhelming and international.
She reached out to the founder of Changing the Face of Beauty, a group that believes it's time to create change in the advertising industry.
"Some people are just afraid of people with disabilities, because they have not come into contact with them," Bradley said. "When we are seeing them in everyday images of advertising in the media, it really doesn't seem like it's that big of a deal."
The Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network, which Bradley works with, partnered with Changing the Face of Beauty. Together, they sought a commitment from retailers to showcase a wider range of children in their advertisements.
The goal was 15 retailers in the year 2015.
"We've got 103 retailers worldwide that we have gotten to agree to use models of all abilities," Bradley said. "And it is just growing every day. The majority are here in the U.S., but we have some in Australia and England."
So far, they've got 103 retailers on board in four months.
"I really just am excited that we have been able to use the attention for something good," Bradley said. "That's been exciting."
She said Izzy has not had any other modeling gigs since the Target shoot, and she isn't seeking any.
She does know of at least two other kids from the Twin Cities with Down syndrome who have since appeared in Target ads.