Coca-Cola's Olympic campaign rediscovers the beauty of connection

In celebration of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Coca-Cola has invited everyone to rediscover the beauty of connection, with a multi-touchpoint online and offline campaign. 

Celebrating the magic of connection, the campaign features clinking bottles and cans to cheer for the athletes, and "hugging" to celebrate every unforgettable moment together. 

Themed "Embrace differences, win together", the Olympic games-themed campaign includes a series of short films, outdoor advertisements, and online and offline interactive activations that allow users to virtually hug China’s top athletes. 

This comes as Coca-Cola believes “it’s magic when the world comes together”. Globally in July, the brand unveiled an emotive, unifying campaign showcasing the power of sport to embrace everyone’s differences and foster cross-cultural connections as athletes and fans gear up for Paris 2024.  
 
In China, the campaign is also centred on the theme of "hugs", with local Olympic games-themed videos depicting moments of pre-and post-game embraces among China’s top athletes.   
 
These scenes embody the Olympic spirit where athletes of all nationalities, cultures and generations share the same passion and embrace differences, striving to make their dreams a reality.  
 
The campaign uses the simple act of sharing a Coca-Cola as a symbol to embody the Olympic spirit of breaking down barriers and fostering connection. Every embrace becomes a moment of inspiration, reflecting the spirit of the Olympic Games. 
 
The Greater China campaign was developed in collaboration with WPP Open X, led by Ogilvy. 
 
To further amplify the theme of the campaign and enhance audience engagement during the competition, Coca-Cola launched an online interactive experience called "Embracing the moment, cheer for the Olympic Games."  
 
Through a mini-programme, users could create customised photos of their favourite athletes by uploading their own picture, and playing with different backgrounds, stickers and clothing options to make it unique.  
 
This interaction bridges the gap between users, athletes, and the event, igniting public enthusiasm as they cheered on Chinese athletes competing in the Olympic Games. 
 
Throughout the Olympic Games period, Coca-Cola captured scenes of athletes hugging in real-time, editing them into short videos that were broadcast on CCTV (China Central Television) as part of “Coca-Cola hug moments” daily recaps. Social media and outdoor posters were also published in real-time following daily competition highlights and achievements from Chinese athletes.  
 
Besides online interactions, offline outdoor advertisements and experiences with the theme of "Embrace differences, win together" appeared in all corners of China’s major cities during the Olympic Games such as city landmarks, bus stops, metro stations, shopping malls, amongst others, acting as an invitation from the brand to consumers to embrace difference in their own way, and open up a new world of possibilities.

Related articles:

Coca-Cola's Chinese New Year campaign will warm your heart
7-Eleven and Coca-Cola serve up sweet treat with concept store