At a time when Canadians feel it’s becoming increasingly difficult to attain their goals, a new campaign from The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and CBC/Radio-Canada is showing what’s possible through hard work and perseverance to inspire them and rally support for Team Canada ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The “Brave is Unbeatable” campaign is the first work for the COC and CBC/Radio-Canada by agency The Hive since winning the assignment in October. It focuses on the human side of the Olympic journey and shines a light on the things that happen behind the scenes when athletes are preparing for the greatest sporting event in the world. The creative strategy is based on research which found that Canadians feel achieving their goals seems increasingly out of reach in the current climate, with a goal of delivering a message that celebrates overcoming adversity.
“We’re so used to hearing people on TV say how easy athletes make it look,” said Mike Albrecht, Creative Director at The Hive. “I always smile when I hear that, because world-class athletes must go through so much that we don’t see. When we started talking about this everything just clicked, and we knew we had an impactful way to showcase Team Canada athletes like never before.”
The campaign is led by the inspirational 60-second film “What We Don’t See,” directed by Academy Award-nominated Canadian filmmaker Hubert Davis. Using a blend of archival footage from previous international competitions along with new footage of select high-profile Team Canada athletes, it depicts the incredible journeys these athletes have taken to reach the Paris Games, from basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being cut by his high school team, to swimmer Maggie Mac Neil’s struggles with anxiety, to gymnast Ellie Black being told she’s too old to compete. It’s supported by a series of supplementary shorts featuring the nine athletes.
“The use of archival footage was a core conceptual element of these films,” said Ryan Speziale, creative director at The Hive. “We wanted to really contrast the way we typically see these athletes by using existing broadcast footage, then mixing those shots with more emotive and introspective moments that peek behind the scenes.”
Michael J. Fox narrates the English version of the “What We Don’t See” film (showcased in this ScreenWork entry) while Celine Dion offers her voice to the French version. These beloved Canadian superstars are also dealing with their own highly public struggles in the face of life-altering medical conditions.
“I’m so proud to have been part of this campaign,” said Fox, the five-time Emmy Award-winner and Officer of the Order of Canada. “It’s amazing to see what these athletes have overcome in order to achieve greatness. I think that story is so important, and we can all relate to that struggle to persevere despite the odds. I consider myself part of Team Canada, and I’ll be cheering them all on as they compete in Paris this summer.”
The campaign will live across a host of channels in the lead up to and during the Games in Paris. The video elements will be shared across CBC/Radio-Canada and COC channels and will air throughout the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs on CBC. The campaign also will utilize out-of-home, digital, social media, and traditional print executions, including placements at flagship COC experiences at Canada Olympic House in Paris and Fan Festivals across the country.
“The stories of these athletes inspire me,” said Dion, the five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and Companion of the Order of Canada. “I cannot wait to see what each of them accomplishes when they go for it in Paris this summer, where I hope they will also inspire the world. It was an honour to be part of this campaign, and to help tell their stories.”
The COC will also extend the campaign to the Canadian Olympic School Program through downloadable resources and posters in select schools across the nation. Select OOH placements will also include a scannable code that launches an immersive audio experience where people can listen to the story of the featured athlete narrated by the athlete themself, turning traditional placements into a nationwide gallery tour of Team Canada and giving fans the chance to get closer to these world-class athletes than ever before. National media planning for the campaign was done by OMD, IPG Mediabrands agency Initiative, and PHD.
The “Brave Is Unbeatable” campaign launched across the country on April 19, running through the end of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, which run from July 26 to Aug. 11.
Credits
Client Canadian Olympic Committee, CBC, Radio-Canada Agency The Hive Jared Stein, partner, CEO; Dustin Rideout, partner, chief strategy officer; Sacha Ouimet, Jung Ahn, executive creative directors; Ryan Speziale, creative director, art director; Mike Albrecht, creative director, copywriter; Mario Laberge, French copywriter; Teresa Tam, Carol Hung, designers; Araina Gillis, production artist; Jean George, strategy director; Tessa Waisglass, sr. producer; Liliane Clune, French producer. Production Untitled Films Hubert Davis, director; Stuart James Cameron, DP; Lexy Kavluk, exec producer; Erik Wilson, producer. Editorial Nimiopere Film Editorial Raj Ramnauth, lead editor; Bryan Reuben, editor; Paula Hicks, Hannah Stone, exec producers. Color & Finishing Alter Ego Lily Henry, colorist; Hilda Pereira, exec producer; David Whiteson, director online/VFX; Spencer Butt, producer. Audio Grayson Music Nicholas Shaw, exec producer; Mark Domitric, producer/voice director; Vlad Nikolic, audio engineer.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More