The Olympics is a time to share in national pride as we follow Canadian Olympians in their endeavours in numerous winter olympic sports.
Some companies such as Molson and Mondelez are official supporters of the Olympics and there are various other companies that are unofficial supporters of the Olympics as well.
Some sponsors such as Labatt’s tried to capitalize on the Olympics, but Labatt’s received a warning from the Olympic committee for airing television spots tying the company to the Olympics brand even though Molson Canadian was the official sponsor.
The following are some of the CPG companies that were there to support our Olympians for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.
Molson
Molson has done a fantastic job this year as an official supporter of the Olympics. The company hosted the Molson Canadian Olympic block-party send off in Banff, Alberta. Our athletes were given an official send-off to the Olympics, complete with commentary and dancing and music made available for the public.
The company produced some commercials for the Olympics designed to strike a chord with Canadians. In one commercial, two men from Ottawa delivered a Molson Canadian beer fridge half way around the world to their friend staying in the remote Gili Islands, Indonesia.
The company also sent its beer fridge to Europe where it stood in the middle of a street and persons with a Canadian passport could scan their passport to open the beer fridge and share in the drinks provided.
Molson has produced a 625ml Molson Canadian Victory Bottle to celebrate Canadian athletes at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Mondelēz Canada
The makers of products such as Cadbury, Dentyne, OREO and Ritz, have created the ‘Pride & Joy’ campaign complete with an app that celebrates Canada’s wins and special moments throughout the games. This is done with real time updates and the chance to win thousands of prizes, including the grand prize of a trip for two to the Men’s Hockey Gold Medal game in Sochi!
“When we became an official supporter of Canada’s Olympic Team, we knew we would launch a campaign to celebrate through our snack brands, but, we also wanted a greater connection to the athletes themselves,” said Janine Keogh, Vice President, Biscuit Category, for Mondelēz International in Canada.
To share in uniting the country, Mondelez has created special Olympic-themed ‘Pride & Joy’ limited editions of some of Canada’s favourite snacks including OREO, mini Chips Ahoy!, Ritz Crackers and Maple Leaf cookies. The limited edition Pride & Joy products are now available in-store across Canada.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is sponsoring three Olympic athletes including figure skater Patrick Chan, hockey player Steven Stamkos and short track speed skater Marianne St-Gelais. Their stories will be featured along with tips from the athletes themselves on helping families become active.
“Coca-Cola Canada is proud to support these three exemplary athletes as they strive to achieve their dreams of going for the gold at the XXII Olympic Winter Games,” says Nicola Kettlitz, President, Coca-Cola Ltd. “The commitment and tenacity of these athletes serve as an inspiring reminder for all of us to get up and get moving every day.”
In-stores the company is featuring limited edition Olympic gold collector cans which include the signatures of each athlete over silhouette images of a hockey player, short track speed skater and figure skater. The Coca-Cola Company has been a supporter of the Olympic Games since 1928.
Proctor & Gamble
Procter & Gamble’s ‘Thank You Mom’ campaign was so successful in the London games that the company brought back the campaign for Sochi. The campaign features short films celebrating the role moms play around the world in raising Olympians.
P&G has built the P&G Family Home in the Sochi Olympic Park, where moms of Olympians and their families can spend time together in a comfortable environment. The company is also providing gift packs to parents, including products such as Pantene, CoverGirl and Gillette and is offering many hours of beauty and grooming services.
This year Proctor & Gamble is sponsoring 12 Olympic and Paralympic athletes for the Sochi 2014 Winter games
General Mills
General Mills is a proud supporter of Canada’s Olympic athletes. According to Dave Homer, President General Mills Canada, “General Mills Canada could not be more proud to continue supporting our athletes and sharing their stories with Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”
The company has supported the Olympics with its popular products made available at grocery stores across Canada.
Other major Canadian sponsors had successful campaigns including Canadian Tire’s ‘We All Play For Canada’ campaign and Samsung’s ‘Bring It Home’ campaign.
Canadian companies have yet again done a great job in supporting our Canadian Olympic athletes. The stories, tips, groundwork and products made available during the Sochi 2014 Olympic games helped support our athletes in a significant way and lays the groundwork for the next Summer games.
