The Olympic Games in Paris provide an ideal setting, programming-wise, for brands to explore their own heroic journeys and present powerful narratives to a large and attentive audience.
Two car companies—Subaru and Hyundai—have chosen to follow this path and the results are notable. Subaru reminds us that “Love begins with trust,” and Hyundai reminds us that “It’s okay” to say no to the grinding routine of competitive sports and follow your truest passions instead.
Subaru has been making commercials featuring dogs for years, but this new spot is packed with emotion. I cried, and I encourage you to cry too.
If the spot does not move you to test-drive a Subaru, perhaps it will move you to adopt a dog or cat from a local shelter.
Hyundai comes to The Games with a spot that cuts across the grain. Any brand can tell us what’s needed to win gold, but it’s a story we’ve heard a million times. Hyundai wisely paints a different scene, one in which children are stressed out by the routine of early morning practices and all the other obligations required of high-caliber athletes, including the constant pressure to win.
In a world where many kids are over-scheduled and over-stimulated, it’s nice to focus on another idea—play for the sake of play. Winning isn’t everything, but play is. When we’re playing, we’re not overthinking. Play is natural. We find a rhythm and get in a groove. We dance like no one’s watching.
Speaking of spectators, TV ratings for the Paris Olympics are up 79 percent over the Tokyo Games.
