The Olympics, Paralympics and Euro 2016 provided brands with a huge opportunity to engage with consumers. But against the backdrop of a relaxation in advertising restrictions, which brands took home gold? Our Creative Director Tom Carroll picks his top 5.
Under Armour – Rule Yourself
This Michael Phelps video, part of the Rule Yourself campaign, got everyone talking about the brand before the Olympics and boy did he deliver. Essentially this film is a training montage, but the great cinematography that captures genuine emotion together with a killer music track make this a real stand out piece of branded content.
Adidas – Sport Needs Creators
Speaking of Under Armour we were very interested to see this great post-Olympics spot form Adidas. We really liked the bold approach, very deliberately taking aim at Under Armour’s brand message. The spot hints at the aggressive battle taking place between two brands trying to knock Nike off top spot.
Samsung – School of Rio
In terms of brand activation, here’s an example of a brand that absolutely nailed it. Entertaining and engaging branded video content that is totally relevant, we loved this series of TV and digital spots featuring comedian Jack Whitehall. Being brave, bold and original gets rewards.
Nike – The Switch
The battle between Nike and Adidas at a major football tournament is always a fierce one. We weren’t totally convinced by the creative execution of this spot. Though imaginative in its conception, we felt the execution labored slightly, lacking a storytelling punch. But viewing figures don’t lie; it was hands down the most viewed piece of video content during the tournament. One nil.
Virgin Media – Usain Bolt 9.58
No chat about sporting greatness would be complete without this man. What we liked about this spot from Virgin was that it put a virtually untouchable athlete’s achievements in a context that seemed closer to, and therefor more engaging for audiences. The brand message is also spot on.
