Canadian Olympic Committee and CBC/Radio-Canada Team Up with National Icons Michael J. Fox and Celine Dion to Showcase the Inspiring Journeys of Olympic Athletes
The ‘Brave is Unbeatable’ campaign, created by The Hive and directed by Hubert Davis, chronicles the inspiring journeys Team Canada Athletes have taken to the Olympic stage to encourage all Canadians as they face obstacles in their lives.
At a time when Canadians increasingly feel it’s becoming harder than ever to attain their goals, a new campaign from The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and CBC/Radio-Canada is showing what’s possible through hard work and perseverance to inspire them and rally support for Team Canada ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Brave is Unbeatable,” is the first work for the COC and CBC/Radio-Canada by agency The Hive since winning the assignment in October. It focuses on the human side of the Olympic journey and shines a light on the things that happen behind the scenes when athletes are preparing for the greatest sporting event in the world. The creative strategy is based on research which found that Canadians feel achieving their goals seems increasingly out of reach in the current climate, with a goal of delivering a message that celebrates overcoming adversity.
“We’re so used to hearing people on TV say how easy athletes make it look,” said Mike Albrecht, Creative Director at The Hive. “I always smile when I hear that, because world-class athletes must go through so much that we don’t see. When we started talking about this everything just clicked, and we knew we had an impactful way to showcase Team Canada athletes like never before.”
The campaign is led by the inspirational 60-second film “What We Don’t See,” directed by Academy Award-nominated Canadian filmmaker Hubert Davis. Using a blend of archival footage from previous international competitions along with new footage of select high-profile Team Canada athletes, it depicts the incredible journeys these athletes have taken to reach the Paris Games, from basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being cut by his high school team, to swimmer Maggie Mac Neil’s struggles with anxiety, to gymnast Ellie Black being told she’s too old to compete. It’s supported by a series of supplementary shorts featuring the nine athletes.
“The use of archival footage was a core conceptual element of these films,” said Ryan Speziale, Creative Director at The Hive. “We wanted to really contrast the way we typically see these athletes by using existing broadcast footage, then mixing those shots with more emotive and introspective moments that peek behind the scenes.”
Michael J. Fox narrates the English version of the film while Celine Dion offers her voice to the French version. These beloved Canadian superstars are also dealing with their own highly public struggles in the face of life-altering medical conditions.
“This campaign shines a light on a different side of Team Canada athletes, one we don’t usually get to see,” said Colin Freeman, Senior Director, Brand and Digital Marketing at the Canadian Olympic Committee. “Team Canada athletes are so inspiring, not just for their performances on the field of play, but for their passion and perseverance off of it. We are grateful to each of the featured athletes for sharing their stories and hope they resonate with Canadians as the whole country gathers together to cheer on Team Canada this summer. And to have two Canadian icons like Celine Dion and Michael J. Fox lend their voices to the campaign take it to a whole new level.””
“This campaign is a natural extension of our ongoing commitment to following the journeys and sharing the stories of high-performance athletes with audiences across the country,” said Chris Wilson, CBC/Radio-Canada’s General Manager of Olympics, Paris 2024. “By profiling these nine elite athletes from diverse communities and sports, and featuring national icons Celine Dion and Michael J Fox, we hope the campaign will unite Canadians in their excitement for Paris 2024.”
“I’m so proud to have been part of this campaign,” adds Michael J. Fox, the five-time Emmy Award-winner and Officer of the Order of Canada. “It’s amazing to see what these athletes have overcome in order to achieve greatness. I think that story is so important, and we can all relate to that struggle to persevere despite the odds. I consider myself part of Team Canada, and I’ll be cheering them all on as they compete in Paris this summer.”
The campaign will live across a host of channels in the lead up to and during the Games in Paris. The video elements will be shared across CBC/Radio-Canada and COC channels and will air throughout the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs on CBC. The campaign also will utilize out-of-home, digital, social media, and traditional print executions, including placements at flagship COC experiences at Canada Olympic House in Paris and Fan Festivals across the country.
“The stories of these athletes inspire me,” said Celine Dion, the five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and Companion of the Order of Canada. “I cannot wait to see what each of them accomplishes when they go for it in Paris this summer, where I hope they will also inspire the world. It was an honour to be part of this campaign, and to help tell their stories.”
The COC will also extend the campaign to the Canadian Olympic School Program through downloadable resources and posters in select schools across the nation. Select OOH placements will also include a scannable code that launches an immersive audio experience where people can listen to the story of the featured athlete narrated by the athlete themself, turning traditional placements into a nationwide gallery tour of Team Canada and giving fans the chance to get closer to these world-class athletes than ever before. National media planning for the campaign was done by OMD, IPG Mediabrands agency Initiative, and PHD.
The “Brave Is Unbeatable” campaign launched across the country on April 19 and runs through the end of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (July 26 to Aug. 11).
About the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC):
The Canadian Olympic Committee believes sport has the power to transform Canada. Through the Team Canada Impact Agenda and together with our partners, the COC is committed to making sport safe, inclusive, and barrier-free so more young people can play and stay in sport. Learn more at olympic.ca.
About CBC/Radio-Canada:
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
About The Hive:
The Hive is The Valuable Encounters Company – Proudly independent, fiercely collaborative. Our experiential roots guide the future we’re creating – the inventiveness of a creative agency, the discipline of an activation firm, with a sweet spot in driving commercial growth.
Credits:
Campaign Title: Brave is Unbeatable
Spot Title: What We Don’t See
Client: Canadian Olympic Committee
CEO & Secretary General: David Shoemaker
Chief Brand & Commercial Officer: Jacqueline Ryan
Senior Director, Brand & Digital Marketing: Colin Freeman
Manager, Brand: Martha Watson
Director, Brand Marketing & Social Impact: Kelly Edmunds
Lead Designer: Carolina Rueda Ruano
Manager, Athlete Marketing & Olympic Legacy: Sandra Sassine
Program Manager, Athlete Marketing and Olympian Legacy: Émilie Fournel
Client: CBC
Executive Director, CBC Sports & General Manager, Olympics: Chris Wilson
Sports Marketing & Communications: Jonathan Chang
Senior Creative Director: Munro Cullen
Executive Producer: Chris Irwin
Senior Marketing Specialist: Alanna Golloher
Client: Radio-Canada
Directeur général, Production et Sports: François Messier
Première cheffe de la conception et création de contenus, Stratégie création et marque: Anne Cournoyer
Première directrice, Publicité, Design et Marque: Carol Pelletier
Creative Agency: The Hive
Partner, CEO: Jared Stein
Partner, Chief Strategy Officer: Dustin Rideout
VP, Client Services: Hilary Roberts
VP, Client Services: Shawna Hayman
Executive Creative Director: Sacha Ouimet
Executive Creative Director: Jung Ahn
Creative Director, Art Director: Ryan Speziale
Creative Director, Copywriter: Mike Albrecht
French Copywriter: Mario Laberge
Designer: Teresa Tam
Designer: Carol Hung
Production Artist: Araina Gillis
Strategy Director: Jean George
Account Director: Lauren Smith
Account Supervisor: Kelsey Parker
Account Supervisor: Kaitlin Cruz
Senior Producer: Tessa Waisglass
French Producer: Liliane Clune
Production: Untitled Films
Director: Hubert Davis
Director of Photography: Stuart James Cameron
Photographer: Jesse Louttit
Executive Producer: Lexy Kavluk
Producer: Erik Wilson
Editing: Nimiopere Film Editorial
Lead Editor: Raj Ramnauth
Editor: Bryan Reuben
Executive Producer: Paula Hicks
Executive Producer: Hannah Stone
Colour & Finishing: Alter Ego
Colourist: Lily Henry
Executive Producer: Hilda Pereira
Director Online/VFX: David Whiteson
Producer: Spencer Butt
Audio: Grayson Music
Executive Producer: Nicholas Shaw
Producer/Voice Director: Mark Domitric
Audio Engineer: Vlad Nikolic
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