Channel Surfing: Olympic Sponsorships In Question

A recent study called "The Commercial Games" conducted by Commercial Alert and Multinational Monitor (two companies that keep tabs on big corporations) has argued that the International Olympic Committee should drop sponsors whose products include fast food, soda, and alcohol. The groups think that these products do not jive with the Olympics' overall message of celebrating healthy living.

Obviously the main companies under attack are Coca Cola, McDonald's, and Anheuser Busch. Although these companies wouldn't go out of business without Olympic sponsorships, these global brands would be at a significant disadvantage in terms of missing an opportunity to reach a global audience.

Are these types of endorsements really harmfully associated with the Olympic games? Sure, plenty of kids tune in and are exposed to these ads, but the companies in question are so voluminous that children will see their advertising anyway. Even if gold medalists aren't scarfing down Big Mac's and washing them down with Coke, the majority of people who watch the games are.

Yes, the Olympics display the best in physical fitness and health, but the sponsorships being targeted by this study are more than what they produce for consumers. These companies are global brands that help to improve the quality of life and they all have foundations and programs established to better society using their wide ranges of awareness.

GE Ecomagination

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Ecomagination spots have been all over Olympic coverage. It's GE's way of visually expressing what they're doing to improve the energy crisis. Their tag line "Imagination at Work" is an ideal phrase to describe the majestic commercials which they have produced. You've probably seen at least two or three of these, but keep watching and I bet you'll find a favorite.

I like how GE is taking a mundane premise, such as wind or natural gas, and turning it into a unique display of nature and innovation in technology.

McDonald's Victory

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This ad played during the opening of the Olympic games in Beijing. The song is called "A Minha Menina" by Os Mutantes. If you've ever asked anyone under the age of ten what they would like for dinner, then you should appreciate the truthiness of this commercial.

At the time of this post, the medal count lists the US in third place, behind China and South Korea. But this ad by McDonald's says that winning isn't everything especially when there's cheap fast food readily available after devastating moments of defeat. Hooray for obesity!

Nike Courage

Well, I've been watching the Olympic games every chance I can get to a TV, and this is the first commercial I've seen that I actually like. It might have something to do with "All These Things That I've Done" by the Killers (one of my favorite bands).

Nike showcases all kinds of athletes, Olympic and beyond, in this emotional spot. Their message is simple... their ad is complex. Split second flashes of everything from animals to comic book stars combined with countless sports icons make you want to go back and watch it again for stuff you missed. It's interesting to get a frame-by-frame by pausing and dragging the marker slowly across the timeline. Check marks galore, huh? Subliminal advertising strikes back!

Here are the athletes featured in the ad: LeBron James, Bill Bowerman, Vasily Alekseyev, John McEnroe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pau Gasol, Ralph Boston, Ladji Doucoure, Wayne Rooney, Maria Sharapova, Henry Marsh, David Lega, Mary Lou Retton, Zhu Jianhua, Liu Xiang, Carlos Lopes, Daiane dos Santos, Steve Prefontaine, Paula Radcliffe, Joan Benoit-Samuelson, Wallace Spearmon Jr, Julie Moss, Omar Salazar, Miho Shinoda, Lance Armstrong, Kenny Bartram, Garrett Reynolds, Hasely Crawford, Carl Lewis, Kobe Bryant, Bernard Lagat, Mary Decker Slaney, Kerry O'Brien, Pete Sampras, Manfred Naumann, Derek Redmond, Arthur Ashe, Roger Federer, Elizabeth Jackson, Sherone Simpson, Jon Lester, Michael Johnson, Michael Jordan, Romualdo Kubiak, and Oscar Pistorius.

For more, including details on each of these athletes' feats of courage, check out Nike's site.

Visa 2008 Olympics

Visa, the only credit card accepted at the Olympic games, has launched a series of ads with voice overs from Morgan Freeman! Hey, if he can make a documentary about penguins a success, attracting viewers to the controversial Beijing summer games should be a piece of cake.

In a way, the black and gold colors coupled with Mr. Freeman's harmonic narration are very moving. Here's the main commercial, titled "Come Together":



There's a few others featuring classic Olympic moments and popular athletes. I ranked them in order, with my favorites being first:

Derek Redmond - The music really helps to make this an emotional ad. It's truly amazing when a commercial has the power to make your eyes water in a mere 30 seconds. Sorry about the video quality.

Bob Beamon - I like the way Bob looks as he's flying through the air... And that record is just insane.

Michael Phelps - Probably the most beloved American swimmer. Personally, he lost my faith when he got a DUI in 2004. But I like this one because it looks like he's swimming in beer!

Kerri Strug - In my opinion, she could have stuck the landing a tad better.

Nastia Liukin - Okay, this one is just lame.