4 Clever Olympics Marketing Campaigns [+Top Takeaways]

Olympic ads don’t make as big a splash as Super Bowl spots, but the Games are still a reliable display of marketing creativity every two years. 

As the Paris Olympics come to a close, I’ve collected four ads (plus three honorable mentions) that stood out from the fray in 2024. I also talked to a few marketers at HubSpot to get their perspectives on why these ads work and how you can apply the same tactics to your own marketing campaigns.

And it wouldn’t be the Olympics without some GOATs, so I’ve included a couple favorites from previous Games.

2024’s Olympic Marketing Campaigns

1. LVMH: The Rooftops

If you watched the fever dream that was the 2024 Opening Ceremony, you may recall the masked marauder scampering across the rooftops of Paris and bellhops dancing with oversized Louis Vuitton luggage along the banks of the Seine.

The Louis Vuitton trunks appeared by way of its parent company, LVMH, sponsoring the Paris Olympics. Thankfully (or not, depending on your threshold for absurdity) Louis Vuitton took a different tone for its official Olympics ads.

Completely voiceless and scored only by a crescendoing bassline, the deep shadows and rich colors evoke “luxury” from the first second. The camera skims over well-oiled athletes’ bodies, drawing focus to form over function. Shot entirely at night, the shadows create mystery and build intrigue.

Try This At Home

• Whether you’re going for luxury or beach vibes, make a list or a mood board of everything that evokes your desired tone: colors, shapes, textures, sounds, fonts, you name it. Every single element of your ad should serve the singular purpose of eliciting your defined voice.
• You can also use HubSpot’s advertising plan kit, which includes free planning templates and a guide.

2. Corona: For Every Golden Moment

I particularly like this ad because it breaks from the self-serious tone so many other campaigns use. Kyle Denhoff, Senior Director of HubSpot Media, is also a fan, so I asked if he would break it down:

• Product focus. The Corona ad successfully positions the beer as the hero of the story. Through subtle yet effective visuals, the ad integrates the product into the narrative, and a group clinks beer bottles with a “cheers,” highlighting the product as the ad ends.
• Brand message: The tagline “For every golden moment” cleverly aligns Corona with the prestige of Olympic gold, suggesting that its beer is the top choice for life’s special moments. It’s a message that encourages consumers to associate Corona with vacations, adventures, and friendships, reinforcing the idea that it’s the go-to beer for memorable experiences.
• Cultural relevance: The ad effectively taps into the cultural significance of the Olympics. It uses seamless visual transitions to link personal golden moments with the triumphs of world-class athletes. This elevates the brand by associating it with excellence and achievement — from an event that everyone is watching.

Denhoff also pointed to Corona’s clear understanding of its demographic — adventurous travelers in their 20s and 30s — and noted how Corona skillfully invited potential customers to see themselves in the ad.

Try This At Home

• Keep your product central to the ad without overwhelming your potential customers.
• Elevate your brand by associating it with excellence.
• Know your demographic.

3. Hyundai: It’s OK

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Hyundai taps into familiar Olympic tropes like perseverance and hard work, but from a less familiar point of view. At first, it looks like an ad about Olympians practicing hundreds of hours beginning as very young children.

And then a series of parents tell their respective kids, all frustrated by sports practice, that maybe it’s time to take a break. “Like a break break.”

Instead of pushing through, each of the aspiring Olympians switches sports, accompanied by the tagline, “Never give up on finding what you love.”

Try This At Home

• Subvert tropes: This will require a clear narrative, so don’t skimp on the storytelling.
• Do some good: Simone Biles’ 2024 Olympic comeback has once again put mental health in the spotlight. After drawing criticism from some corners of the internet in 2021, when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health, Biles delivered a clear message to the haters this year that she made the right call. Hyundai subtly taps into the importance of mental health without being too on the nose.

4. Parmigiano Reggiano Sponsorship

This is technically a 2021 ad, but we’re counting it since it went viral during the 2024 Olympic Games.

Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa was sponsored by Parmigiano Reggiano during the Tokyo Games in 2021, where she pulled out of competition because of an injury. And even though the sponsorship reportedly ended in 2022, I like to think that the Italian team’s group silver medal this year was powered by a barrel-sized wheel of piquant cheese.

Since medaling, ads from her 2021 sponsorship have gone viral. The photos of Villa have the sharp light and deep shadows of a Caravaggio, as she happily holds a wheel of cheese bigger than her torso. She’s been quoted saying that she’s loved the cheese since she was a little girl, and the smile on her face dares you to challenge that.

Try This At Home

• Tap into your audience’s cultural heritage. By paying homage to Italian Renaissance painters, these photos demonstrate a deep appreciation for Italian identity and heritage.
• Don’t be afraid of some unusual juxtapositions if it’s based on truth.

Honorable Mentions: Personalities and Influencers

I’m creating an honorable mentions category because these are neither traditional ads nor easily replicable for your own marketing. But I would be remiss not to include some of the personalities and influencers who have become walking ads for the 2024 Paris Olympics:

Snoop Dogg

The unexpected gold medalist of our hearts, Snoop joined NBC as an official Olympic correspondent in Paris. In my extremely unscientific survey of a few fellow HubSpotters, 100% agree that he’s the best advertisement for the Olympics, hands down.

Dréa Hudson, HubSpot’s Head of Audience Development, Distribution, says, “There is no one — and I mean NO ONE — who I would trust to carry the torch more than him.”

She also sums up his authenticity and appeal: “The ease in which he traverses Paris during the Games is said best by Uncle Snoop himself: ‘It’s me, being me.’”

Snoop’s curiosity is palpable (although he did require the emotional support of bestie Martha Stewart for the equestrian events, as he harbors a slight fear of horses). His joy is real. (As is his paycheck — a reported $500K per day.)

Colin Jost

Most of us don’t have access to professional comedians, but Olympic surfers are probably grateful that NBC does. Their sport got a huge boost in visibility when SNL Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost assumed his position as NBC’s surfing correspondent.

Jost took one for the team and headed to Tahiti, where his reports have largely poked fun at his own ineptitude. After a minor accident involving shallow waters, coral reef, and ants, he claims that he’s visited the medical tent more than any of the athletes (I’ll refrain from further description for the faint-hearted among you).

But as a surfer himself, Jost isn’t just peddling jokes — he has a deep appreciation and understanding of the sport, and he’s making Olympic surfing appointment viewing.

Greyhound Olympics

Instagram and TikTok have been an endless, and endlessly entertaining, source of unofficial Olympic ads and commentary, but I’ll mention just one that’s representative of the style and humor in these homespun Olympic tie-ins.

A greyhound’s ears flop in unison during a walk, and text over the video reads, “My dog could have competed at the Olympics but they cancelled the synchronised ear event.” It hits all the right beats: Shouting out synchronized athletic events, adorable ears, and of course comparing Olympic greatness to a very pointy dog.

Try These At Home:

• It’s a cliche, but it’s true: Be like Snoop and just be yourself.
• Comedy can be an effective marketing tool — but it’ll be even more effective if it’s undergirded by knowledge and appreciation for the product you’re marking.
• Apply Olympic tropes to everyday life.
• Embrace absurdity. Synchronized ear events would undoubtedly draw a huge fandom.
• If everything else fails, put your dogs in an ad. (Kidding. Mostly.)

Best Olympic Campaigns of All Times

When I asked friends and HubSpotters what ads they loved from the 2024 Paris Games, there was a clear consensus: They’re just not as good as they used to be. (According to Vox, there’s a reason for that, and it rhymes with shmartificial shmintelligence.)

So just for fun, here’s two gold medalists from the past decade:

Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion: The Luge (2014)

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The Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion ran this ad in support of gay athletes at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. It’s a good reminder that serious topics can still be approached with humor.

Visa: Carpool to Rio (2016)

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Visa’s 2016 Carpool to Rio ad is full of clever details, like the synchronized divers nodding off in unison. This ad stands a little higher on the podium because of its joyous tone — many (most?) slick corporate Olympic ads take a serious view of the athletes’ hard work and the obstacles they’ve overcome.

Marketing Takeaways

Even if you don’t have access to celebrity spokespeople or a corporate budget, there’s still plenty to learn from these ads. The most successful Olympic ads tap into the cultural significance of the Games and find authentic ways to link their product with the best athletes in the world, all without being too overbearing with their product placement.