Nike For The Olympics: "Winning Isn’t for Everyone"
Nike, a brand synonymous with sporting excellence, delivered one of the most talked-about campaigns of the 2024 Olympics with "Winning Isn’t for Everyone." The campaign delves into the intense drive that propels elite athletes to greatness. The ads explore the darker side of ambition, asking the provocative question, "Am I a Bad Person?" through the lens of legendary athletes like LeBron James and Serena Williams.
Nike For The Paralympics: “Winning is Winning”
Nike is continuing their ‘’Winning isn’t for everyone’’ campaign through the Paralympics by challenging the idea that ‘participating is winning’. This notion has not been well received by everyone, but is an interesting take on the extreme competition that takes place in the Games. The campaign aims to encourage the ruthless mindset of many athletes who will stop at nothing to win, removing the stigma around ‘being in it to win it’.
Read more about Nike’s campaign here.
Samsung: "Victory Selfie"
Samsung made Olympic history in 2024 by allowing athletes to capture and share their personal experiences with its Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition smartphones. The "Victory Selfie" campaign provided athletes with these custom-designed phones to take selfies on the podium, a privilege previously denied at the Games.
This initiative was more than just a marketing gimmick - it was a personal way for athletes to document and share their triumphs with the world. Samsung's technology organised these selfies by sport and uploaded them to the IOC's Athlete365 platform. This allowed athletes to save and share their Olympic memories. The campaign resonated with both athletes and fans, emphasising the brand's commitment to innovation and the personal connection it fosters through its products.
Find out more here.
P&G: "The Village Nursery"
Procter & Gamble (P&G), a company behind household names like Pampers, Gillette, and Oral-B, took a multi-faceted approach to its Olympic advertising in 2024. One of the standout activations was "The Village Nursery" at the Athletes’ Village, promoting Pampers to highlight the brand’s relevance in the daily lives of athletes who are also parents.
P&G’s approach was not just about selling products but about building trust by demonstrating how its brands support the lives of athletes on a daily basis. By focusing on the human side of the Games and addressing the needs of athlete parents, P&G successfully blended brand promotion with meaningful support, reinforcing its position as a trusted provider of everyday essentials.
Find out more about P&G’s Olympic Games support here.
The Village Nursery with Pampers
Apple: "The Relay"
Apple's 2024 Olympics ad, "The Relay," was a powerful tribute to inclusivity and the spirit of competition. The ad featured a relay race with two mixed teams composed of both Olympic and Paralympic athletes, blurring the lines between the two events. The ad showcased athletes competing in various sports such as sprinting, cycling, swimming, and distance running.
"The Relay" was not just a celebration of athleticism but also a statement on the importance of equality and inclusion in sports. By showcasing athletes with and without disabilities competing together, Apple demonstrated its commitment to diversity and accessibility. This approach made a strong impression on viewers and set a new standard for how brands can genuinely support both the Olympics and Paralympics.
Watch The Relay video here.
Channel 4: ‘Considering what?’
Channel 4’s Paralympic Games campaign aims to shift the perception of Paralympians from being seen as people ‘’overcoming’’ disabilities to being seen as elite, world-class athletes.
Titled ‘Considering what?’, the campaign was developed by Channel 4’s award-winning in-house agency, 4creative. It challenges viewers to rethink their assumptions about Paralympic excellence. This film highlights the often misguided reactions of people watching Paralympic sports, urging them to appreciate Paralympians for what they truly are—exceptional athletes at the pinnacle of their sport.
Watch the ‘Considering what?’ video here.
The 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in Paris have been an immense opportunity for brands to showcase their creativity, innovation, and commitment to the values that the Games represent. From Nike's bold exploration of the darker side of athletic ambition to Samsung's pioneering "Victory Selfie" campaign, and from P&G's focus on athlete parents to Channel 4’s reminder of Paralympian talent, these brands delivered some of the most memorable and impactful ads for themselves and the Games.
If you want to create your own powerful and memorable campaign for your business, head over to our creative marketing campaigns page to see what we can do for you.
Or get in touch with us here. We’d love to chat with you about your ideas!
Image References
Nike
Nike Image 2
Samsung
P&G
Apple
Channel 4
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