Fauja Singh, the 104-year-old marathon runner, appears as Ford's new ambassador for its Unlearn campaign in its newest U.K. commercial.
The campaign features dogs running after a drone-operated delivery, urging the audience to "Unlearn postmen," which is a bit harsh. But Fauja Singh's segment in the ad is very inspiring. It asks us to "Unlearn OAP," which stands for old-aged pensioner. We spot Singh's yellow turban bobbing along the bushes as we see him jog up hills and sprint in London's famously cold weather — all while wearing the OAP sign on his chest.
Photo Credit: Youtube
It's very fitting to see Singh in the campaign because he has truly redefined what it means to be an OAP. That idea of breaking down preconceptions was the campaign's main goal. Ford’s marketing manager, Richard Beard, said to Desi Blitz, “Unlearn is about casting aside preconceptions, having another think about Ford, and reappraising. It’s about not being held back by limiting beliefs.”
Singh first started running as a way to heal after he lost his wife and two children. Relocating to the United Kingdom, Singh moved in with his son and started running every day. But it was his participation in marathons that pushed him into the limelight. He broke records as one of the oldest marathon runners in the world. He was 92 when he ran in the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon, where his time was 5 hours and 40 minutes.
Photo Credit: Youtube
Yet he's putting down his marathon shoes for now. He ran his final marathon in 2013, the Hong Kong Marathon. Singh was disheartened about retiring from running. He told The Independent that, as he got older, he liked the attention the records and campaigns gave him.
"I am hurt by the fact that I am going to retire. I do not really like the word 'retire' because I can still run and jump on a bus. It's a sense of negativity that I have never experienced before. I fear that when I stop running, people will no longer love me. At the moment, everyone loves me. I hope nobody will forget or ignore me. When you become old, you become like a child and you want the attention," he explains.
But Singh credits his positive thinking as the reason he's the campaign's ambassador. “When I went through a major trauma in my life, I had to overcome it in a positive way. I started taking exercises more seriously. I think I am an ambassador for Unlearn because of what I’ve achieved. I’ve changed people’s minds about old people so that they think old people can achieve much themselves."
Kudos to this amazing centenarian who's pushing us all to do better about our goals and breaking down preconceptions!
Main Image Photo Credit: Express
Rumnique Nannar
Author
Rumnique Nannar is a new journalist with a passion for all things pop culture, film, and art. Rumnique was born in London, with a predilection for devouring English chocolate with her Vogue, ANOKHI, and Glamour magazines in tow. She is currently in her Journalism Masters at UBC. Connect ...
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