It’s only three days until the London 2012 Olympic Games start, and although there are more perennial times for the advertising industry, the Olympics always bring about a bevy of refreshing, inspirational and creative ads. So let’s put aside the uproar about suit manufacturers and security-related controversies and focus on the design & marketing side of the Games that bring us all together.
Why not call your Mom and tell her you love her? In this campaign, P&G honors the mothers’ roles in a young athlete’s life. Created by Wieden+Kennedy, the positive message of this ad is driven home by an equally effective piano score. Simply inspirational.
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Old Spice seems to have a different opinion of the Games. Although they’ve historically been off-the-wall, this ad shows a company cynical enough to take self-help inspiration to its slightly absurd logical conclusion, all the while prodding away at the Games. It’s also hilarious. Just FYI, this one’s also created by Weiden+Kennedy!
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Here’s something a bit different. GSK UK provides anti-doping science for the London 2012 games, and in pair with agency TBWALondon, have created a rather hyper, surreal look at the athlete’s “natural high” of the crowd. Definitely some cool imagery in here.
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Naturally, BBC will be covering the Olympics extensively, and this is a sampler of the title sequences and campaign that will be used for the network. We’re suckers for animation here, and this advert gets everything right from the lighting to the slightly cartoony yet refined character animation. But most of all, it’s a great representation of what the games are all about—the spirit of competition and the very human drive to succeed.
We hope these ads get you more in the mood for a season of sportsmanship. We’ll be paying close attention to the Games and hope you do too!
See our recent work here. And don’t hesitate to reach out.