One of my favorite ads of all time came out in 2012 and was made by Proctor and Gamble. If you don’t know, Proctor and Gamble is the mother company to brands like Pampers, Downey, Tide, Gain, Charmin, Gillette (household brands, cleaning products, feminine products, etc). The ad campaign was titled: “Thank You, Mom,” and aired during the 2012 London Olympics. Not only does the commercial make me cry every time I watch it, but I think they were able to use their products (not commonly associated with the Olympics) and make a connection that Olympic athletes and average viewers alike can relate to. At the core of the advertisement is the fact that behind every successful athlete, is a mom who works harder and cheers louder than everyone else. P&G was able to frame themselves as the helpers of all moms, and all moms around the world should be thanked. They use different sports and family dynamics from multiple different cultures which I think really celebrates the essence of the Olympics, but the consistent idea is that mothers should be celebrated: they have the hardest job in the world, and also the best job in the world.
The beauty of the campaign is that it isn’t about the athletes in the Olympics and highlighting the products they use, it is about the hard work of their mothers, and the products that make life go, like laundry detergent and pads. Olympians start young, the sacrifice so often given by mothers to afford lessons, to push their children, to be that number one supporter, should be celebrated. Although it cannot be ignored that not every country uses these products the same and many households don’t have access to them, I do think it does a very good job of highlighting many different cultures and home environments that Olympians come from. It is beautiful because everyone watching has a mother to thank, you do not have to be an Olympian to feel the nostalgia of being a child and the reliance you have on your mother.
I have attached my favorite two commercials of the campaign below:
I think that one reason that these ads are so impactful is that they are in the voices of Olympians who we look up to. Consumers are likely to buy something if their favorite athlete is talking about it. Also, it is relatable, because many of us have a lot to thank our moms for.
This ad also makes me want to cry because it is so sweet. I like your point about the way that they utilize Olympians, that is not something I had considered. Usually, commercials play up the fame of pro athletes and use that as the appeal, but this add draws attention to their mothers instead. In fact, it makes them seem like normal humans because motherly encouragement is a universal and relatable experience. It is different than just showing the effectiveness of their products but is making the company more likeable.
Great, now I’m crying too. I normally reserve superbowl ads for being the funniest and/or most emotional, but yeah I realize Olympics falls under this category too. It’s crazy how companies harness the emotions (whether that’s pride, fear, anxiousness) of large events to reach their audience. It also makes sense and makes the message altogether more effective.
I’d completely forgotten about this ad until I saw this post and yeah I also want to cry re-watching it now. One thing I distinctly remember is watching this ad live during the Olympics and seeing my mom tear up while it was playing. The people most likely to buy P&G products aren’t kids, but the parents, so appealing to them through emotion is extremely effective, as I’ve witnessed first hand.