The Offer: Behind every successful athlete is a dedicated coach—a point the U.K. arm of Gillette aimed to emphasize with its “Great Start” Olympics campaign. Putting its money where its proverbial mouth is, the Procter & Gamble-owned shaving cream and razor brand offered coaches the opportunity to apply for grants to pay for their coaching qualification via a Facebook app. Others could also nominate inspirational coaches to be recognized with the Community Coach of the Year Award, part of the annual U.K. Coaching Awards. Gillette tapped Scottish track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, British swimmer Liam Tancock, and American runner Tyson Gay as ambassadors to promote the push.
The Data: The Gillette U.K. Facebook page has more than 250,000 fans. Procter & Gamble says it plans to raise roughly $25 million to support youth sports programs around the world. P&G was a sponsor of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The Channel: In addition to promotion through social, London-based agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and blowUp media worked with Gillette to erect a series of three 5,300-foot outdoor ads on apartment buildings overlooking the Olympic Park in London.
The Creative: Gillette also got fans pumped stateside with a slick holographic 3D light show projected onto historic buildings around Boston Harbor. Logistics and creative were provided by Proximity, BBDO, Ketchum, and Klip Collective.
The Verdict:
Cathy Salazar is senior partner and search practice lead at MEC Interaction, where she is responsible for oversight of AT&T’s search marketing business. Salazar has more than 12 years of experience in the digital field, including display ad work for Agency.com and JPMorgan Chase. Read our Q&A with Cathy for more.
Spectacular use of technology and bringing these athletes to the physical world to people watching from the Boston Harbor. No doubt that P&G nailed the Olympics. Well done!
