Retailer Aldi launched its Team GB activation a week ahead of the Winter Olympics with work led by ambassadors and former UK Olympic legends Torvill and Dean and Eddie the Eagle Edwards.
The objective behind bringing British snow and ice athlete icons to the fore is to ‘show how the spirit of the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang is in the heart of every Brit as they try to go about their daily business’.
The campaign, developed with agency McCann and launched in the first week of February ahead of the 9 February PyeongChang 2018 opening ceremony, is spearheaded by a pair of TV spots
The opening film features a granny pulling off a ski jump in a mobility scooter (with a Ski Sunday soundtrack),
while the second ad (set to Torvil and Dean’s famous Ravel’s Bolero) sees a man struggling home with his shopping on the icy pavement before gracefully transcending into impressive ice skating.
The lead commercials are amplified across the brand’s digital and social platforms (including Instagram and Twitter) –
The lead commercials are amplified across the brand’s digital and social platforms (including Instagram and Twitter) –
Sliding into store for those Sunday savings like… pic.twitter.com/uzxEBOp7S6
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) February 4, 2018
with a bit of support across Team GB channels too.
Linked by the #WeAreTheGreat hashtag, the spots are supported with additional good luck messages,
and a set of team GB athlete ambassador content pieces (images and GIFS) linked to specific products/menus (such as the ‘ healthy, fresh Super 6’ range) that aim to further drive public support.
Olympic debutante @OrmerodKatie is representing @TeamGB at the Winter Olympics – with skills to match her passion, she's one to watch! Send this Aldi athlete some and support️! pic.twitter.com/9tuyFrsjlI
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) February 5, 2018
Have you met @TeamMuirhead? They're European Champions and Aldi Ambassadors for #PyeongChang2018. And they're fruit and veg fanatics! Who out there shares a fave with these guys? pic.twitter.com/B9Ho4iSYW2
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) February 5, 2018
What does @TeamGB's @OrmerodKatie like to have for dinner? Pasta! This vegetarian recipe is perfect for #MeatFreeMonday. https://t.co/iu0t37gRQA pic.twitter.com/3xrGAswyN8
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) February 5, 2018
Not only is @TheYarnold from @TeamGB an Olympic Skeleton Champ, she’s also a pro with chopsticks! We think this Aldi Ambassador is ready to take on #Pyeongchang2018! Who else agrees? #WeAreTheGreat pic.twitter.com/aCeaNn4JtD
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) February 4, 2018
We’re just as excited as @TheYarnold – who else can’t wait for #PyeongChang2018?! This @TeamGB Aldi Ambassador is going to be absolutely amazing at the Winter Olympics! #WeAreTheGreat https://t.co/KYUFsDr1cT
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) February 5, 2018
‘With our Winter Olympics campaign, we wanted to capture the adventurous spirit of the Games whilst still retaining our well known irreverent humour,’ explained Aldi UK marketing director Adam Zavalis.
“Who better than British winter Olympic legends Torvill and Dean, and everyone’s favourite ski jumper Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards to tell our message of benefitting from Olympic sized savings whilst enjoying medal winning products exclusively at Aldi.”
Comment:
These ads continue to adopt an approach, tone and sense of humour that it Aldi feels (hopes) is classic and recognisably British.
The German supermarket chain continues where it left off at Rio 2016 (see case study) to use the Team GB partnership not only to boost public support for the team, to spread humour, to promote product messaging, but also to try and consolidate its UK positioning and set the brand and its values at the heart of the nation’s consciousness.
For Aldi, which first announced its Team GB sponsorship as part of its 25th anniversary in 2015, the sponsorship strategy here is consistent and simple: a German brand aiming to align more closely with UK consumers by celebrating both the British produce it sells and the British Olympians it backs.
Links:
Aldi
https://www.aldi.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/user/AldiUK
https://twitter.com/AldiUK
https://www.facebook.com/AldiUK
https://www.instagram.com/aldiuk/?hl=en
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/aldiukstores/
British Olympic Association / Team GB
https://www.teamgb.com/
https://twitter.com/teamgb
https://www.instagram.com/teamgb/
https://www.facebook.com/TeamGB
McCann
http://www.mccannlondon.co.uk/
