As the Games get underway, brands are also competing in Olympic advertising

The Olympics is not only a feast of sports competition, but also a stage for brand creativity. How major brands can skillfully combine with the Olympic spirit has become a wonderful competition in the advertising industry.

It’s time to dominate the Olympic charts!

On the evening of the 26th local time, the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics kicked off in the rain. The French used their unique romance to complete a "flowing feast."

As an advertiser, besides paying attention to exciting events, collecting brand cases has become a muscular reaction. Especially now that global advertising budgets are further tightened, it is difficult to have such a budget this year.

At this moment when the world is watching, how can brands find a point of convergence with the Olympics through creativity? Let’s take a look at the project cases in this article.

1. Yili "Our Opening Ceremony"

Although the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics has ended, the discussion surrounding it is far from over. On social media, netizens from various countries have mixed opinions on the opening ceremony, and the reputation of the opening ceremony is polarized. What is particularly interesting is that almost at the same time as the opening ceremony, "Beijing" became a global trend.

In the short film "Our Opening Ceremony", Yili wrote almost prophetically: The closer we get to the new opening ceremony, the more we are reminded of the night of August 8, 2008.

On the eve of the opening ceremony, Yili used a heartwarming recollection to activate the Chinese people's collective memory of the 2008 Olympics and consolidate the connection between the brand and the Olympics.

From Beijing to Paris, the grand event opened again, and Yili still stood with the Chinese delegation. Having witnessed the 2008 Olympics, Yili and its consumers moved forward again, welcoming the opening ceremony of life with quality.

2. Mengniu "Opening"

Another thing worth watching is the cooperation between Mengniu and director Zhang Yimou. On the opening day, a blockbuster film "Opening" with strong memorable points and content tension grabbed the public's attention.

In the one-minute video, every frame is not wasted. The white curtain, as a metaphor for milk, floats from the grassland to Paris, hinting at the origin of the brand. After thousands of mountains and rivers, it reflects the "strong" figures of thousands of athletes, which fits the theme of the Olympics. The Mongolian humming is progressive, making the whole film full of the momentum of "going to war", and the low and high pitches are intertwined, explaining the spiritual proposition of the brand.

On the opening day, Mengniu was highly promoted and the title of “Olympic Global Partner” was deeply imprinted in people’s minds.

3. Samsung: “Openness leads to win-win”

The 2024 Paris Olympics uses the slogan "More Open Olympics" and hopes to host a "younger, more inclusive, and more urbanized" event. As a global partner, Samsung launched a creative short film with the theme of "Open always Wins".

A vertical screen shows the moments when skateboarders, rock climbers, break dancers and other athletes encounter bottlenecks. As they regroup and break through boundaries, the screen in front of them is widened again and again. They use their hands to open it and kick the black edges with their feet until the vertical screen becomes horizontal, and the athletes step onto a bigger stage.

The technique of breaking the fourth wall is very interactive. It not only links with the athletes' struggle, but also creatively expresses the infinite possibilities brought by openness.

4. Apple's "Young Ambition 2036"

While the whole world is paying attention to talented athletes, Apple is looking directly to the future, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max presenting 5-10 year old future stars from different sports around the world.

This group of works is named "2036 Hopefuls". Although the faces of the young athletes are a little childish, their determination, concentration and tension during training are not inferior at all.

Compared to other brands' blockbuster works, Apple's Olympic production effortlessly demonstrated its advanced photography technology, as well as the brand's focus on the future and innovation.

5. Nike: “Not Everyone Can Be a Winner”

Nike releases new film "Winning Isn't For Everyone" at the start of the Olympics, questioning the meaning of victory

In an environment where light exercise is all the rage and relaxation has become the buzzword of the year, Nike's video is so sharp that it's a little sharp. The ad stars a number of well-known athletes, and the copy is quite provocative and worth a closer look.

Am I hated?

Tell me, am I hated?

I'm a stickler

I tease my opponent

I have obsessive compulsive disorder

I am alone

Does this make me hateful?

Is it really so hateful?

Is there?

I have no sympathy

I don't take you seriously

I never stop when I see something good.

I'm obsessed with power.

I'm easily attracted

I don't repent

I show no mercy

I am wishful thinking

I'm so crazy

Do you think I am hated?

you say

you say

you say

Tell me, does this make people hate you?

I think I am the best in the world

I'm going to take everything that belongs to you, and I don't plan to return it.

Mine is mine

What's yours is mine too

Am I hated?

Tell me, am I hated?

Does this count as being hateful?

What do you think?

Winner

Not everyone can be

When a brand becomes huge, it becomes difficult to maintain its sharpness and attitude. Fortunately, Nike always remembers its original intention and ignites the desire for sports with passion, courage and tenacity. As the video said when it was released: Nike is committed to bringing innovation and inspiration to every athlete in the world. As long as you have a body, you are an athlete.

6. Adidas “You Can Do It”

Although the team also has an all-star lineup, Adidas took a different approach and approached the issue from the perspective of the doubts behind the victory.

The 30-second ad brings together boxer Arilan Gonzalez, men's 100m and 200m sprint world champion Noah Lyles, breakdancing world champion Liu Qingyi, men's 200m Asian record holder Xie Zhenye and other athletes, showing the athletes' love for sports while also encouraging them to let go of stress and enjoy Paris.

The true stories of the athletes also provide a new interpretation for the brand’s slogan “You Got This” - it is never the grand events that make people fall in love with sports, but the countless people who love sports that give sports a concrete shape.

VII. Conclusion

Olympic marketing is like a competition among various brands on the same topic, and its products represent the highest level in the industry.

In particular, by collecting advertisements of competing brands, we can see how different brands find horizontal fit with the Olympics at the same node, while at the same time creating brand differentiation vertically.

The Olympics has just begun, and there will be many exciting things waiting for us to record in the coming period.

Author: Brainburner

Source: WeChat public account: "Brain-burning advertisement (ID: shukewenzhai)