Advertisements of The Games

While the Olympics once started out simply as a way for the top athletes of every country and continent, it has now turned into a huge opportunity for different corporations and companies to speak to widespread audiences through commercialization. The Olympics have become the best option to reach the most widespread and diverse audiences. Each time there is a new opening ceremony in a new country, this presents a new opportunity to bring into the market new sports and marketing trends. 

Although there were many iconic advertisements and marketing campaigns that emerged during the Olympic games period, I am going to discuss some of my favorite.

The first ad I think of when I think of these games was one from P&G. P&G always has great ads, however, this one had the theme of “Thank you Mom”. This advertisement, which had several variations, touched upon the heartstrings while  showcasing the passion and dedication of the athletes and how they got to where they are because of their mothers. You can see the ad below:

Coca Cola is another company that has continuously had great advertisements, and did not disappoint with the Olympics. They had a #ThatsGold campaign which shows what gold feels like, from being an athlete in the Olympics, to any everyday activity you may be participating in. They were one of the presenting partners of the Games, and they also created a hang out area for teens from Rio who can engage with the games in whatever manner they want, going above and beyond and always having innovative marketing ideas. Overall, their gold campaign was very successful and allowed everyone to interact with the brand and still feel connected to the Games.

Lastly, Under Armour had a great ad campaign with their “Rule Yourself” theme. Their main ad highlighted Michael Phelps, and seemed to be a tribute to the star as he went through his final Olympic Games.

Overall, all of these advertisements and other forms of commercialization were very interesting to analyze, and the Olympic Games definitely provided an outlet for these companies to gain more viewers. Which ad is your favorite? Tell us why below!