rp Reacts: Olympic Ads

Leading up to the Opening Ceremony, many well-known brands rolled out bold ads to capture the true spirit of the Olympics. From Nike to Coca-Cola to Toyota, we weighed in on whether these ads hit the mark. Here are our thoughts:

Hits and Misses

The Samsung ad stood out for me. I appreciate the way they visually invoked the "open" message with a clever breaking of the fourth wall. That little element of surprise made the viewing experience feel more immersive and memorable, and it made me want to watch it again. The WB ad was the next most memorable due to the artful and polished transitions throughout the energetic audio/visual experience.

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Toyota's attempt to connect the phrase "Cancel the quit." to their primary tagline "Let's go places." felt forced. IMO, they'd been better off keeping their products out of sequence and just focusing on their creative angle of championing the athletes. For me, Nike’s has a snarky tone to it that is uncharacteristic of the brand. Nike is an encyclopedic example of a "Hero" brand. One of the ways they consistently invoke the Hero archetype is by championing "the little guy." This ad runs counter to that and it's just not on brand for Nike.

- Nate Flemming, Director Of Strategy

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I really enjoyed the “Kids Help Phone”. I think anyone that takes the time to acknowledge the importance of mental health and getting support is on the right track. I can only imagine the mental struggles that come with something so public.

Molson Coors was funny and it was so nice to see us recognizing the effort that goes into raising a kid that does something like this.

I wasnt a fan of Knix. I understand the vision but it came off kind of like they were trying too hard? They want to normalize talking about periods but it came across awkward.

- Alma Lechuga, Associate Director of Resource Management

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I feel like I've seen almost every single one of these ads before, and they'll all be forgotten as soon as they stop running. Sabrina Carpenter hallucinating is the one somewhat unique touch, but the rest of the ad is pretty standard. I think my winner is probably the WB/Discovery Eurosports ad. It's dynamic, has an interesting visual style, and manages to keep my attention throughout.

Nike's spot is my least favorite. I can see what they were going for, but I personally think they missed their target. To me, the message ends up becoming "do whatever it takes to be a winner at the exclusion of everything else around you.” It’s a toxic mindset to instill in people.

- Sterling Crawford, IT Operations Manager

A Star Studded Strategy

Fun fact - I worked on the Core Power campaign when their talent was Simone Biles. They saw her potential and signed her before she went to the Olympics which she said she was always grateful for. I wish Core Power could strike gold twice and find the next star. Katie Ledecky is a slam dunk from a recognition perspective and who knows, maybe they have an awareness problem right now which would make a big star name a good choice.

- Madeline Condron, Group Account Director

Sabrina Carpenter is having her moment and I think NBC sports was smart to capitalize on it. plus, they’re resonating with Gen Z—an audience who might be experiencing their first Olympic Games out in the world on their own—and letting them know where to watch.

- Jesse Spear, Sr. Manager, Brand & Product Marketing

Successful Storytelling

Coming from the production world, I am a huge sucker for well-crafted storytelling that goes along with really beautiful visuals. Nobody does this better around global events than Nike and Coca-Cola, which have brought two of my favorite spots for this year's Olympic Games. While a lot of the other spots I’ve seen are well-made, these two truly make you FEEL something.

With Coca Cola, it's a feel-good piece that not only looks stunning but also pairs those visuals with a great music choice. When it's over, you feel the excitement and the joy that comes from the bubble of time where we all are watching the Olympics, wherever in the world you may be. And the Coca Cola product naturally fits into the storyline without feeling forced.

On the other hand, Nike’s ad is almost anxiety-inducing with its intense music and Willem Dafoe’s powerful narration. It’s uncomfortable in the best way, effectively portraying what it takes to be the best—highlighting the sacrifices and emotions involved. You finish watching it and you're just left with a "whoa" feeling.

- Riley Collins, Studio Director

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