The world keeps seeing images of the incredible feats athletes achieve. They make it look easy. Meanwhile, according to research, Canadians feel achieving their goals seems increasingly out of reach in the current climate. Agency, The Hive, has put these two things together in its first campaign for The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and CBC/Radio-Canada.
The campaign, Brave is Unbeatable, shows what’s possible through hard work and perseverance by focussing on the human side of the Olympic journey and the things that happen behind the scenes when athletes are preparing for the greatest sporting event in the world. The campaign aims to inspire Canadians and rally support for Team Canada ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with its message that celebrates overcoming adversity.
“We’re so used to hearing people on TV say how easy athletes make it look,” stated 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 an inspirational 60-second film, What We Don’t See, directed by Academy Award-nominated Canadian filmmaker, Hubert Davis. It uses a blend of archival footage from previous international competitions along with new footage of select high-profile Team Canada athletes, to depict the work these athletes have done 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,” noted 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 film 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.
“This campaign shines a light on a different side of Team Canada athletes, one we don’t usually get to see,” stated Colin Freeman, senior director, brand and digital marketing at the Canadian Olympic Committee. “Team Canada athletes are so inspiring, not just for their performances on the field of play, but for their passion and perseverance off of it. We are grateful to each of the featured athletes for sharing their stories and hope they resonate with Canadians as the whole country gathers together to cheer on Team Canada this summer. And to have two Canadian icons like Celine Dion and Michael J. Fox lend their voices to the campaign take it to a whole new level.”
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 use 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 COC will 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 allows people to 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 campaign launched across Canada on April 19, and runs through the end of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (July 26 to August 11).
Credits:
Client: Canadian Olympic Committee
CEO & Secretary General: David Shoemaker
Chief Brand & Commercial Officer: Jacqueline Ryan
Senior Director, Brand & Digital Marketing: Colin Freeman
Manager, Brand: Martha Watson
Director, Brand Marketing & Social Impact: Kelly Edmunds
Lead Designer: Carolina Rueda Ruano
Manager, Athlete Marketing & Olympic Legacy: Sandra Sassine
Program Manager, Athlete Marketing and Olympian Legacy: Émilie Fournel
Client: CBC
Executive Director, CBC Sports & General Manager, Olympics: Chris Wilson
Sports Marketing & Communications: Jonathan Chang
Senior Creative Director: Munro Cullen
Executive Producer: Chris Irwin
Senior Marketing Specialist: Alanna Golloher
Client: Radio-Canada
Directeur général, Production et Sports: François Messier
Première cheffe de la conception et création de contenus, Stratégie création et marque: Anne Cournoyer
Première directrice, Publicité, Design et Marque: Carol Pelletier
Creative Agency: The Hive
Partner, CEO: Jared Stein
Partner, Chief Strategy Officer: Dustin Rideout
VPs, Client Services: Hilary Roberts & Shawna Hayman
Executive Creative Directors: Sacha Ouimet & Jung Ahn
Creative Director, Art Director: Ryan Speziale
Creative Director, Copywriter: Mike Albrecht
French Copywriter: Mario Laberge
Designers: Teresa Tam & Carol Hung
Production Artist: Araina Gillis
Strategy Director: Jean George
Account Director: Lauren Smith
Account Supervisors: Kelsey Parker & Kaitlin Cruz
Senior Producer: Tessa Waisglass
French Producer: Liliane Clune
Production: Untitled Films
Director: Hubert Davis
Director of Photography: Stuart James Cameron
Photographer: Jesse Louttit
Executive Producer: Lexy Kavluk
Producer: Erik Wilson
Editing: Nimiopere Film Editorial
Lead Editor: Raj Ramnauth
Editor: Bryan Reuben
Executive Producers: Paula Hicks & Hannah Stone
Colour & Finishing: Alter Ego
Colourist: Lily Henry
Executive Producer: Hilda Pereira
Director Online/VFX: David Whiteson
Producer: Spencer Butt
Audio: Grayson Music
Executive Producer: Nicholas Shaw
Producer & Voice Director: Mark Domitric
Audio Engineer: Vlad Nikolic
