Going For Gold: How Olympic Advertising Sticks The Landing Every Time.
The Olympic Games are more than a display of athletic excellence; they are a global stage for advertising where some of the most memorable and impactful ads come to life.
In this article, we analyze famous Olympic ads and explain how to use their techniques to stand out against your competition.
Olympic ads break through ad fatigue by telling stories that matter, creating a connection with audiences that goes far beyond the immediate appeal of the products being advertised.
Olympic Advertising Captures Hearts & Minds With Medal-Worthy Storytelling.
Many ads that run during the Olympic Games coverage use emotional storytelling to connect viewers with the personal journeys of athletes. They highlight their struggles and triumphs, creating a bond with the audience.
How Real-Life Olympic Ads Connect Through Storytelling.
The Procter & Gamble “Thank You, Mom” ad campaign, launched during the 2012 London Olympics, stands out as a quintessential example of Olympic advertising that effectively uses emotional storytelling.
“Thank You, Mom” taps into a universally relatable theme: the love and support of mothers. The campaign highlights the sacrifices and encouragement that mothers provide by showcasing a diverse range of athletes at different stages of their lives—from childhood training sessions to Olympic competitions.
The ad honors the often-overlooked contributions of mothers. By centering the narrative around this simple idea, P&G effectively communicates its brand values of supporting people’s lives in small, meaningful ways without feeling overwhelmed by commercial sales tactics.
Advertising Campaigns That Capture The Olympic Spirit Are The Gold Standard.
In Olympic advertising, campaigns that capture the Olympian spirit serve as the gold standard for marketers, embodying the ideals of unity, perseverance and excellence that define the Games. Simone Biles’ “Pause Is Power” ad for Powerade in the 2024 Paris Olympics highlights her remarkable resilience and strength and emphasizes the importance of recharging and reflecting.
The ad tackles the critical topic of mental health in sports, particularly relevant to Biles’s experiences during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It promotes self-care and mental well-being by showcasing the idea that taking a pause can be a powerful and necessary step.
“Pause Is Power” uses visuals that highlight Biles in various training scenarios and life moments, juxtaposed in a moment of reflection while performing a gymnastics routine. The imagery communicates that strength doesn’t always mean pushing through; sometimes, it means recognizing when to step back, reinforcing the Olympic spirit, which values resilience, determination and the courage to confront personal challenges.
By featuring Biles, a figure who embodies these qualities, Powerade strengthens its brand identity as a supporter of athletes’ holistic well-being rather than just their physical performance.
How Olympic Advertising Vaults Over Ad Fatigue.
In a world where consumers are inundated with ads, Olympic advertising stands out by delivering powerful, emotion-driven messages that resonate on a deeper level. But first, what is ad fatigue?
Audiences Are Tuning Out & Overwhelmed By Ad Fatigue.
Consumers are constantly bombarded with ads across various platforms in their everyday lives—whether through television, the Internet, social media or in public—and experience declining attention and interest.
Ad fatigue refers to people becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer volume and repetitiveness of advertisements they encounter in everyday life. This saturation leads to diminished effectiveness of advertising campaigns, as constant exposure can make ads feel intrusive or irrelevant.
Olympic Ads Champion A Non-Salesy Approach.
Ad fatigue can result in viewers ignoring ads, using ad-blocking software or developing negative associations with overly persistent brands. Creating advertisements that stand out and connect emotionally in this saturated landscape becomes crucial for effectively cutting through the noise and engaging audiences. Olympic ads break through ad fatigue by telling stories that matter, creating a connection with audiences that goes far beyond the immediate appeal of the products being advertised.
How Real Olympic Ads Inspire Without the Hard Sell.
In Dick’s Sporting Goods “Big Moments Every Day” campaign from the 2024 Olympics, the brand creatively avoids traditional product promotion by focusing on the emotional and inspirational aspects of youth sports. By highlighting genuine, personal moments, the campaign creates a deep emotional connection with viewers, celebrating everyday victories rather than commercial products.
Dick’s Sporting Goods leverages its iconic typeface for brand recognition, allowing the powerful storytelling to take center stage without overtly promoting products or stores. Notably, the campaign earned a Silver award on USA Today’s Ad Meter, underscoring its impact and effectiveness.
Similarly, the ad “Anatomy of a Champion” by FIGS stands out for its non-traditional approach to advertising by focusing on the unsung heroes of the Olympic and Paralympic Games—the medical professionals. Instead of a conventional sales pitch, the film highlights the real-life contributions of healthcare workers at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympics, set to an uplifting cover of “Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes.”
FIGS subtly integrates its limited-edition scrubs through this narrative, showcasing them as part of the everyday work of these professionals rather than overtly promoting their apparel products. This approach emphasizes emotional storytelling and genuine recognition of the medical team’s role, aligning FIGS with the values of support and dedication while allowing the brand to resonate through its understated placement in the spot.
Finally, Nike’s “Am I A Bad Person?” campaign is a powerful exploration of the inner monologue that drives athletes to greatness. The ad challenges viewers to reconsider what it means to be “bad” in the pursuit of excellence.
The ad’s intense tone brings to life the passion, obsession and single-mindedness required to reach the top. The visuals capture these athletes in moments of pure passion, subtly integrating Nike products and jerseys without overtly pushing them. This approach keeps the spotlight on the athletes’ journeys, allowing Nike to reinforce its connection to excellence through storytelling rather than traditional sales tactics.
As A Small Business, You Can Have Olympic-Worthy Ads, Too.
As a small business, you might think that creating Olympic-worthy ads is reserved for those with million-dollar budgets, but that’s not the case. While you may not have the resources of a global brand, you can still craft powerful, memorable ads through compelling storytelling and creativity.
The key to cutting through ad fatigue is to focus on authentic, relatable narratives that resonate with your audience. For instance, instead of relying on flashy visuals or having a star-studded cast, consider sharing real customer stories or showcasing behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business. By focusing on meaningful content and leveraging your brand’s unique voice, you can create ads that inspire and connect to make a big impact.
Develop Podium-Worthy Advertising Campaigns With Estland.
Whether you’re launching a new campaign or revitalizing an existing one, our expert team is here to help you achieve results that rise above the competition. Reach out to us today to create an ad campaign that stands out and resonates like Olympic advertising.
