PepsiCo brand Quaker Oats has just released a new set of ads, positioning the brand as the breakfast food of Olympic champions.
Helmed by creative studio Uncommon, the cheeky ad references a recent article that recounted how Team GB specifically requested for porridge from a Michelin-starred chef kitchen at the Olympic Village in Paris.
Reading "champions are not made on croissants," the ads are a friendly jab towards the French.
A half-eaten bowl of Quaker Oats sits prominently at the center of the ad, making a strong statement.
Running across local newspapers in the U.K. like Daily Mirror and The Metro, the ad will also be shown at strategic digital OOH sites close to Olympic Fanzones.
Quaker's ad is a genius bit of Olympics marketing that leverages a minor news story to create relevance for the brand.
Advertising during the Olympics is also a great way for brands to widen their market share by forging new bonds with consumers.
Now, people eating Quaker Oats for breakfast will feel a connection with Team GB and Olympic athletes in general.
Cuisine for Olympic Athletes
Aside from the porridge incident, the Olympic Village kitchen has gone viral multiple times over the last few weeks, owing to a multitude of TikTok posts from athletes who deeply enjoy the delicious food.
Norwegian Olympic swimmer Henrik Christiansen took the internet by storm after he shared his love for the Olympic Village's chocolate muffins on TikTok.
@henrikchristians1 We have chocolate muffin before GTA 6 #fyp#olympics#paris2024#olympictiktok#olympicvillage#muffins#gta#gta6♬ GTA San Andreas Theme (Remake) - Ben Morfitt (SquidPhysics)
The athlete has gained a total of nearly 100 million views on his video series about his favorite pastry.
Many Olympians have also been actively documenting their food journey on TikTok, such as Filipino-American gymnast Aleah Finnegan.
@aleahfinn Dining hall tour & review👀 #fyp#foryou#olympicdininghall#olympics#paris2024#olympicvillage♬ Watermelon Sugar but sped up - Leah <3
Food is always a hot topic during the Olympic season, with fans becoming more and more curious about what real athletes eat.
The curiosity built up after food served at the Olympic Village dining hall received negative feedback during the first week of the Games.
Big brands have capitalized on the global market reach of the Olympics, with Speedo strategically unveiling its rebranding, including a new logo, typeface, and color, during the season.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
