Now that we are halfway through the Olympics, what are the brands that nailed it with their ad campaigns and activations? Here’s a rundown of some of the best we’ve found.
Open always wins
Olympic and Paralympics ads can go from ‘whoa’ to ‘nooooo’ real quick... the Samsung strategy is super sharp. In line with their new positioning around ‘openness’ Samsung featured the newest Olympic sports of surfing, skating and breakdancing. By creating such a simple and clever framing device they’ve highlighted a key Samsung product benefit: the massive screen, super relevant for wannabe young skaters capturing their sick ollies and kick-flips.
IOC Refugee Team and Nike
When it comes to storytelling, grit and intrigue, Nike always hits the mark. This ad beautifully captures the inspiring backstory of the IOC refugee team, highlighting their dedication to sport that propelled them to where they are now and their promising future.
Am I a bad person?
Nike goes for the jugular in their bold and gritty ad delivered with teeth clenching determination and bound to cut through amongst other big corporate brands who will never be brave enough to show the ugly side of winning.
We all scream for ice cream!
In a refreshing partnership that just works, Accor brings us all the Olympic feels with their quirky and intriguing ad that depicts an enthusiastic, full suited employee going above and beyond in the spirit of Olympic hospitality. For a French brand that’s usually pretty serious, the humour of his awkward run through the streets of Paris works so well to remind us tourists that great hospo staff are the other true Olympic heroes.
July, tested by Olympians
We love how covetable Aussie luggage brand July joined the games. In line with their Insta content, members of our Australian Olympic Team have put their suitcases to the test. Mackenzie Arnold, Peter Bol, Zoe Poulis, Jeff Dunne and Brooke Buschkuehl have taken quality control to an Olympic standard. They’ve also released a custom carry-on exclusively for our athletes, with epic styling.
Cadbury for Team Aus!
Although Cadbury and Olympics feels like a stretch, they get points for a smart multi-media strategy. They’ve created a limited-edition Team Australia block of choccy for in store, a women in sport outdoor poster campaign and a clever digital activation to create your own athlete poster with this digital tool, a good reminder that leveraging your sponsorship doesn’t always have to be a physical activation. The lack of Cadbury branding was a surprise hands off touch.
Here's our Team Aus photo below, have a crack yourself here!
