Amidst all the gold medals and excitement of the Olympics there was a rumble of debate about the official sponsors of the Games. Did the branding restrictions become too militant? Did the sponsors benefit from the association? What have some brands got to do with the Olympics anyway?
Instead of promoting their Olympic association with any particular razzle-dazzle, McDonald’s devised a smart angle for their campaign, by celebrating the enormous role of the public and their overwhelming support. So as part of the campaign they asked fans to submit photos of themselves supporting Team GB on Facebook, which amassed over 20,000 submissions. They selected 60 of them to use in press, digital and outdoor ads, and captured video footage to create an affecting 60 second spot championing the public’s enthusiasm. It’s called, ‘We’re All Making The Games’.
The campaign is brutally simple in its use of crowdsourcing. And with well-timed tapping into people’s desire to share their experience of the Olympics, and acknowledging their crucial role in its success, the campaign stands out very well indeed.
Sometimes paid social campaigns is what an organisation needs in order to drive success or make an impact. But sometimes is simply a matter of strategic thinking and good old creative advertising. McDonald’s have done an excellent job.
