How to seize the (lost) Olympic moment: Throw out the formula

This year it’s not happening. The COVID-19 pandemic has quite rightly put the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on hold, which would have kicked off last weekend. 

What comes to mind when you think of The Olympics? For me, it is witnessing the pinnacle of achievement. Seeing people who have dedicated their life to physical sporting perfection, competing on a global stage, with national pride at stake. The epicentre of televised broadcast, that millions – billions – of people across the world are collectively transfixed upon, as each athlete and team battles to achieve their life’s ambition. An event that unites nations. An event that could – and should – bring out some of the best creativity to unite people globally.

As a marketer, I have found myself considering what this means for the marketing industry. Looking around I had questioned how much COVID-19 had stifled our creativity, with marketers following the same advertising rulebook. Emotive storytelling of post-pandemic hope, but lacking differentiation. With social distancing rules it is no wonder that we have all resorted to using pre-existing footage and standard mood music. But as marketers we are hired to build brand differentiation. Simple as that.

I thought we had lost some of that creative spark the Olympic Games embodies. Those high budget spectaculars to ‘made on a shoestring budget’ guerrilla marketing. Every four years I wait with anticipation to see how brands use the Olympics to create standout moments.

Until Nike’s brilliant ‘You Can’t Stop Us” campaign which launched this week. Emotional, creative and a lesson to us all that you can beat the odds, the hurdles, the barriers and come back stronger. When things don’t go our way, we will always find a way. Cleverly touching on the concerns of the moment – COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement and the postponement of sporting events– it is a piece of editing genius. Its shows how sport can unite us, strengthen us and keep us pushing ahead. A true democratisation of sport and life itself. You can’t stop sport. You can’t stop us.

At Samsung, our ‘Do What You Can’t’ spirit runs through everything we do. It’s part of our company’s heritage to fight the odds and defy barriers to achieve meaningful progress. We have proudly sponsored the Olympic Games for more than 30 years, empowering athletes to defy their own barriers through Samsung’s technological innovations. As a brand we believe that we are all born to do what can’t be done. It is about creative courage and taking that leap to find the next big thing. I love how we put this into action.

One of my favourite examples is how we improved winning laps in the world of Paralympic swimming, though the Samsung Blind Cap. The first swimming cap with Bluetooth technology, it tells swimmers when to turn via a small vibrating sensor in the cap, linked to the coach’s mobile device. A genius idea, using simple technology to solve a problem and transform the world of Paralympic swimming.  

During lockdown, like many parents, I have taken this “can do” spirit into my life. I have three young kids. It is summertime. So no better time to teach them to ride a bike. As any parent knows, this involves a lot of tears, and a lot of shouting “you can do it, you can do it”. Until, finally, they take the leap and master how to ride a bike. Success as a parent. A momentous achievement for them. Within this lies an important message. You have the inner strength to do what you can’t.

So, this is my ask to you.

In a year that is seeing seismic change and unpredictability, be the one who cuts through. Create marketing that proves your value to society and demonstrate the role we play in our audiences’ lives. Don’t just say ‘be strong’; actually be it.

As marketers, let us embody an Olympian’s spirit of standing together with others but being proud to break away from the crowd. Because as the old saying goes, the one thing that unites us all is that we are all different.