3 Olympic Commercials and What Makes Them Great

All eyes are on Paris these days and the athletes competing there certainly deserve it. They have worked for years (upon years upon years) to reach the level of eliteness that provides them the opportunity to represent their country on the world stage.

There are a whole host of lessons business owners can learn from Olympic athletes and you better believe I’m going to share them, but first let’s talk about what is often overlooked outside of the Super Bowl: the commercials.

After many hours spent watching gymnastics, swimming, rugby, and beach volleyball, here are the top ads I’ve seen thus far during the Olympics broadcasts and what you can learn from them about strategic brand communications.

AD 1: Dick’s Sporting Goods “The Moment”

What Makes It Great:

Many of the ads you see on the air center on a brand grabbing their favorite Olympian for an influencer campaign. The hope being that if [INSERT OLYMPIC ATHLETE] uses a product, their followers will want to buy it in order to be more like them.

But let’s be real: Not everyone can (or will) be an Olympian.

So instead, Dick’s focused on what everyone CAN do, which is to continue to show up in their chosen sport every single day. No matter the sport or the level of competition, simply showing up to participate is worth celebrating.

Dick’s capitalized on the Olympics fever while still paying homage to their ideal customer: the everyday athlete.

AD 2: Michelob Ultra’s “Home Team”

What Makes It Great:

This is an election year. It’s also a very tense election year. America is quite divided right now.

This is not the first time we’ve let our passionate stances separate us, nor will it be the last (#history). (Tips on how to navigate that as a business here.)

Wherever our personal priorities lie, we are all Americans and Michelob has sought to remind us of that.

We are different races, cultures, religions, lifestyles, priorities and thoughts – but when the Olympics are on, we all are rooting for the same country.

Events bring us together and Michelob’s Olympics commercial is a fantastic reminder at the right time.

AD 3: Eli Lilly and Company’s “One Body”

What Makes It Great:

Ok, now that you’ve watched the commercial, let’s break down the message:

You only get one body.

It might turn out seven feet tall. [Image: Basketball player]

It might be the perfect size to do this. [POV of gymnast tumbling]

Your body may take up a lot of space. [Image: powerlifter]

Or it may move differently. [Image: sprinter]

Each of these lines showcase a different sport that requires a different body type to succeed, yet ALL of these sports are at the Olympics.

The ad continues with more sports being showcased as it talks about the importance of health and keeping your body strong, because “you only get one body.”

It’s a powerful message in general, yet even more so when it comes from a pharmaceutical company!! It is disruptive to the industry. It’s focused on connecting with people at their core values, rather than just hawking a new product and that is what will create long term brand loyalty.

The Lessons to Be Learned

The big takeaway for any company here is that no matter what your budget for marketing or advertising may be, seek to connect with your ideal customers as people.

Focus on what gets them excited, challenges them to think, or resonates with their values as individuals vs. numbers on a spreadsheet.

Talk to the person and you will attract the masses.