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Black and white; short and tall; skinny and strong; male and female: as athletes from more than 200 countries landed in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, the sea of faces at the 2016 Olympic Games illustrate a diverse range of racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Which is beside the point.
That’s the message many brands are highlighting in marketing promos that foster unity, equality and inclusion across the globe. Here’s a look at just some of the inspirational campaigns broadcast during the event that seek to nurture solidarity during a tumultuous time.
The Human Family
As part of Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign, this spot features a montage of photos and videos of people of all colors, sizes, ages and orientations—narrated by the late Maya Angelou reading her poem “The Human Family.”
The verses embrace the qualities that make us unique, grounded by the line “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
The promo aired Friday during the Opening Ceremonies, and has been praised across social media for its warm message.
As analyst Jan Dawson tweeted, “Apple’s Olympics ad is a nice antidote to all that’s going on in the world (and the US in particular) at the moment.
READ MORE: Adweek
The Anthem
A young girl sings a line of the Botswana national anthem into a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, followed by an old man singing a line from the Australian national anthem, followed by a young boy singing a line from the Canadian national anthem, followed by people from around the world sharing their voices as the words are woven together to create one big, beautiful song.
With the introduction of each anthem, viewers are introduced to a new location, intentionally contrasting with the home of each song.
Created by Leo Burnett, the spot strives “to break down barriers of geographic borders and to unite the world through technology and borderless communication,” says Samsung EVP of Global Marketing Younghee Lee.
“By singing one anthem, fans and athletes across the globe can feel a shared sense of pride and unity and together celebrate collective progress, which is integral to the spirit of the Olympic Games,” he said.
READ MORE: Adweek
Stand Together
“Imagine if a simple gesture could unite the world.”
That’s the premise behind Toyota’s promo where people in all corners of the planet—from factory workers to skydivers—join hands to celebrate teamwork. In line with the company’s “Let’s Go Places” campaign, the video aims to start a conversation around teamwork, and serves as “a reflection of the physical and emotional places we can go and the goals we can achieve together,” said Fabio Costa, executive creative director at Saatchi LA, the agency that created the spot.
Toyota also includes a call to action. For every person who creates a video of people joining hands and shares it under the #LetsJoinHands hashtag, Toyota will donate $20 to United Way, up to $250,000.
READ MORE: Inspiration Room
Unlimited Together
Nike is no stranger to inspiration, and the brand’s latest spot brings in Chicago-born artist Chance the Rapper for a tribute to the Olympic athletes themselves.
“We the people would like you to know/ That wherever you go we’re by your side,” he says in the chorus. Chance interlaces his original lyrics—an ode to the USA Basketball team—with snippets from the “Star Spangled Banner”: “Through the perilous fight, we want you to be brave. We want us a hero. We need a teammate.”
The result is an uplifting message that speaks to the country, and the world, as a whole.
READ MORE: Vulture
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