Olympic Brands.

Who Showed Up To The Games?

If you expected big brand moments during the Olympics this year, like the fans in the stands, it’s not going to happen. But let’s not be too negative here. It’s the Olympics! And the brands that actually showed up are going for gold (had to get at least one Olympic cliché in here).

Let’s start with the opening ceremony. If you didn’t get the feels going down pandemic-memory-lane then maybe emotion just isn’t right for you. Though there was silence, there was inspiring music; though seats were empty, there were fireworks; though there was protest, there was Ralph Lauren with boat shoes and all. But in all seriousness, the opening ceremony set the tone and matched the themes of many of the brand messages at this year’s Olympic games: Togetherness and connection.

Procter and Gamble led forward with love. Microsoft Teams connected those who couldn’t make the games with a virtual ticket. Samsung brought the Olympic experience to the palm of a hand. Facebook Groups made friends across the world feel like friends across the street. And my favorite: Visa worked on their brand pivot by showing their audience that they are more than just a credit card, they’re a connector to people and relationships all over the globe.

Meet Visa.

For those brands who opted out or even canceled their advertising for this year’s games, they may have missed out on a great opportunity: an opportunity to show the connectedness their brands can bring to the lives of their audiences—something we’re all still craving. With so many in-person moments not able to happen this year, with so many things missing, the brands who won gold this year (last one) are those that brought us together.