Czech Olympic Committee - Living London like John Cleese (2012)
Traditionally, the Czech Olympic Committee, as the main carrier of the Olympic message in the country, airs its TV advertisements in the run-up to the Olympics. In 2012, it managed to engage a truly exclusive partner – British actor John Cleese, best known as a former member of the legendary comedy group Monty Python, and neurotic hotel manager Basil Fawlty from the Britcom Fawlty Towers. The campaign featured several spots in which Cleese takes the role of the viewer’s guide to Olympic and traditional London. Of course, he provides basic information on red phone booths, the five o’clock tea tradition, and a basic English language lesson. The COC has launched a total of ten spots featuring John Cleese, and interestingly, the actor has made one condition for his participation – that he will be actively involved in the scripting of all the adverts. The result is a unique campaign with an international star actor who excels in the art of dry British humour, which would be difficult to imitate by an exclusively Czech creative team. Czech fans couldn’t have asked for a better invitation to London.
Video: Czech Olympic Committee – Living London like John Cleese (2012)
ČEZ – How Petra Kvitová recharges her energy (2012)
ČEZ Group, the largest electricity producer in the Czech Republic, has long been the general partner of the Czech Olympic team. Therefore, it is probably not surprising that it sends its traditional business card to TV screens before each Olympic Games, nor that the best Czech athletes who are hot candidates for Olympic gold are often featured in the spots. In 2012, before the London Games, ČEZ joined forces with tennis player Petra Kvitová. She shared her know-how of recharging energy with TV viewers. Instead of electric cables and sockets, she prefers a football, which is perhaps quite striking for a tennis player of her stature. With tennis, however, she probably wouldn't have regained energy in her spare time. The ad presents Kvitová as an all-round sportswoman - and ČEZ is an all-round energy supplier. As a result, it’s an ideal partnership, and the spot perfectly motivates the viewer to look forward to going to London for the Olympics, at least through the TV broadcast.
Video: ČEZ – How Petra Kvitová recharges her energy (2012)
Samsung – Olympic Games for everyone (2012)
An effective Olympic advertising campaign does not have to be rooted in the home region. Some global brands simply localise campaigns of their global headquarters, which often have more resources and ingenuity to deliver a truly functional TV spot to audiences. One example is South Korean electronics giant Samsung, which managed to get a megastar, footballer David Beckham, to star in its advertising ahead of London 2012. However, he is not the main protagonist of the spot – that role is played by the then-latest Samsung Galaxy S III, which literally flew around the world during the advert. The first kick-off was made by none other than Beckham, but thanks to the global popularity and revolutionary features of Samsung’s new phone, it is a moment the whole world can watch. Whether you are right in the heart of the action in London, or far away in Shanghai, China, or Los Angeles, USA, you can witness the unmissable Olympic action live. And, as the whole concept of the campaign suggests, this localised advertising was just as effective in the Czech Republic as it was in France, China, or the UK, for example, which was the focus of all sports fans around the world at the time.
Video: Samsung – Olympic Games for everyone (2012)
Česká spořitelna – Fingers crossed for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016)
The Czech savings bank Česká spořitelna called the strongest medal contenders for its TV spot before Rio 2016. Specifically, they were runner Zuzana Hejnová, mountain biker Jaroslav Kulhavý, water slalom racer Jiří Prskavec, sculler Miroslava Knapková and javelin thrower Barbora Špotáková. All of them had their fingers crossed not only by Česká spořitelna but also by the tense viewers in front of the TV screens. Moreover, the advertisement went on air at a time when preparations for the Rio Summer Games were at their peak – for the participating athletes it meant the end of often more than a year of intensive preparations and the approaching trial by fire in real competition. In the advert, they sum up what they had to endure over the course of the challenging year, concluding that they are ready. The question is whether all the fans are just as ready. The ad is thematically linked to Česká spořitelna’s broader Rio 2016 campaign, which features the animated Paleček family as an allegory for how we all feel united in sentiment and cheering at the time of the Olympic Games.
Video: Česká spořitelna – Fingers crossed for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016)
ŠKODA AUTO – Join the Rio 2016 Olympic Games team (2016)
ŠKODA AUTO has long been another traditional partner of the Czech Olympic team and has never missed an opportunity to send its Olympic business card out into the world. It came up with a very original concept eight years ago before the Rio Olympics when it involved a director and four canoeists aspiring to medal that year in its TV ad. These particular games were quite difficult for Czech viewers to watch due to the large time lag. It was therefore best to go directly to the venue. The hitchhiker played by Vladimír Škultéty makes such a journey and finally manages to find someone to give him a lift on a remote road. Little does he know, however, that he has just managed to join a Czech canoe delegation led by Ondřej Synek who will be happy to help him on his way to Rio. ŠKODA AUTO illustrates that the so-called Czech Team is not only made up of top athletes but of course, also fans, both at the venue and at home, who give them the support and enthusiasm they need. Without them, this Olympic equation would never be complete.
Video: ŠKODA AUTO – Join the Rio 2016 Olympic Games team (2016)
AGROFERT – Bare bottoms (2016)
Not every Olympic-themed TV ad is received with enthusiasm. Among the traditional partners of the Czech Olympic team is the food holding AGROFERT, which is stirring up some controversy with its connection to former Czech Prime Minister and current opposition leader Andrej Babiš (ANO). If you add naked athletes to the mix, it is clear that you are definitely not in the taste of all Olympic fans. AGROFERT has prepared a TV advertising campaign ahead of the Rio 2016 Games under the subtitle Bare Bottoms. What was it about? In the individual spots, the Olympians get into tricky situations on the sports fields, which are always to some extent related to nudity. But in the end, it turns out that it is actually just their nightmare on the way to the games. And it never materialises because AGROFERT has their back. Or, to put it more bluntly as the ad did, AGROFERT “will not leave our athletes bare-bottomed”. The noticeable patriotism correlates to a certain extent with Babiš’s political rhetoric of recent years, however, the idea itself was not born in the marketing department of AGROFERT but in the minds of students of audiovisual studies at Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín. It is definitely an advertisement that will not please everyone. Individual taste and sense of humour are decisive in this case.
Video: AGROFERT – Bare bottoms (2016)
Czech Paralympic Team - Believe in the Unbelievable (2016)
In the midst of Olympic euphoria, a specific group of athletes whose time in the limelight comes after the traditional Olympic Games is often and wrongly forgotten. This is both unfortunate and unfair because the Czech Republic in particular has a lot of irons in the fire at the Paralympic Games and these athletes often have more drive than many others. At least they have managed to work their way to the top of their sport despite adversity. While the Paralympic Games do not receive nearly as much media attention as they deserve, this is not true of the Czech Paralympic team, which places at least as much emphasis on PR and marketing as its mainstream brother. Ahead of the London 2016 Paralympics, the Paralympic Association aired a series of spots that build on the contrast between the initial childhood shock of life’s changing realities and the reality of an adult now competing for Olympic gold. The spots feature cyclists Jiří Ježek and Tereza Diepoldová. What do they have in common? Their childhood selves never believed they would ever ride again. Now they have won several medals at the global Paralympics.
Video: Czech Paralympic Team - Believe in the Unbelievable (2016)
Pilsner Urquell – Emil Zátopek was an original (2020)
Every Olympic Games is, of course, an ideal opportunity to celebrate the most memorable moments in Czech sporting history. In connection with the Summer Games, we cannot forget the name of the four-time Olympic champion in endurance running Emil Zátopek, who is rightly an unforgettable legend in the Czech Republic. And if, in addition, a biographical film about the life of one of the greatest Czech athletes premieres in the same year as the Olympic Games, it is a clear signal to the partner of both productions as to the spirit of its spot before the Summer Olympics. Pilsner Urquell’s marketing department knows this well, and their campaign for Tokyo 2020 has been designed accordingly. The spare 40-second spot combines historical footage with the film to recall a legend that every athlete on the Olympic fields would like to get closer to. Sports heroes are important to the nation and the fans. Emil Zátopek managed to become one, but more are born with each upcoming Olympic Games. What stars will shine in Paris this year?
Video: Pilsner Urquell – Emil Zátopek was an original (2020)
Toyota – Best of Team Toyota (2024)
In 2019, the Czech branch of Toyota became the official partner of the Czech Olympic team, symbolically replacing the long indispensable ŠKODA AUTO. This was a logical step, as the carmaker has already successfully cooperated with local Olympic and Paralympic committees in various countries around the world. This year, the Toyota team has been by the side of the Czech Olympians during their preparations. And the result is a TV trailer not only starring the most promising athletes but also featuring cars from the Toyota portfolio. The advertisement, which focuses mainly on effect and cool execution, involved canoeist Martin Fuksa, swimmer Barbora Seemanová, slalom racer Lukáš Rohan, skateboarder Maxim Habanec, athlete Kristina Mäki, para-swimmer David Kratochvíl and handbiker Patrik Jahoda. It is undoubtedly a first-class selection accompanied by a photoshoot with equally first-class cars. What is more, thanks to Toyota, fans can see exclusive footage shot during the training sessions of these Olympians, who are among this year’s best Czech medal hopes. The wait for Paris 2024 is simply demanding for athletes and fans alike.
Video: Toyota – Best of Team Toyota (2024)
ALPINE PRO – Opening ceremony outfits for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (2024)
Only a few weeks remain before the ceremony that will start the whole sporting event in Paris. This opening ceremony is in some ways a category in itself. It gives a chance to shine not only to the host city but also to the individual national delegations that will be part of the Olympic parade. In the Czech Republic, however, there is now a rather dynamic debate about our delegation, focusing on the outfits that our athletes will be wearing. Whatever your personal opinion, it is the job of the author to promote it properly. This is now the goal of ALPINE PRO, which has collaborated with leading Czech designer Jan Černý on the Olympic fashion collection. ALPINE PRO traditionally dresses all our Olympic and Paralympic athletes, while Černý has a very specific style and vision, and it is clear that, logically, he cannot please everyone. Advice for all? Watch this spectacular advert and wait to judge the collection until you see how it looks in real life at the Olympic venue in Paris. And above all, don’t let your opinion of the opening ceremony uniforms spoil the first-class sporting experience that this year’s Games promise!
Video: ALPINE PRO – Opening ceremony outfits for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (2024)
Whatever the outcome of our athletes at the Olympics, no one doubts that Paris 2024 will be an exclusive spectacle. PR and marketing are part and parcel of that. All of our Olympic team partners will certainly want to be visible and send a message to the world that we are united as a nation during this major sporting event. This is also the key to successful and memorable Olympic-themed advertising – fans and viewers in front of their TV screens are an integral part of the Olympic equation, and without their support, the heroes on the sports fields would lack motivation. In a way, Tokyo during the pandemic four years ago demonstrated this in practice.
This year, however, we will be going live again with spectators in the stands, something that athletes and fans alike are looking forward to. Nothing is stopping it – this year’s Games can begin!
