Dick’s Sporting Goods released its latest Olympics ad today, and it opens with a compelling shot of two anchors arguing in a televised debate, with a caption that reads: “Divided States of America?” It’s a scene that feels all too real, especially at a time when the current state of affairs is heavy with social unrest and political tensions. In short, times are tough.
But with its heartfelt, feel-good campaign, the retailer has delivered an uplifting message just ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang (Feb. 9 to 25) that’s all about setting aside differences and coming together in the name of sports. “There’s a lot of anger out there and it’s ripping us apart, but we have something unbreakable binding us together,” the narrator says over a montage of clips ranging from teens playing hockey to archival footage of Olympic Games. “In 1936, it stood up to a tyrant, in 73, it battled free equality, so join Team USA over these 17 days as the world puts differences aside to play games and you’ll see humanity at its best. This is sport and it will help unite us as one country, one people and one world.”
“We’re a company rooted in sport, so we are fortunate to see humanity at its best every single day on fields, rinks, courts, tracks, diamonds, gridirons, bleachers, and in locker rooms,” said Scott Hudler, chief marketing officer of DSG, to Fast Company. “Despite our differences, sports has the power to unite communities, countries and the world. We’ll see that again over the 17 days of the Winter Olympics and wanted to deliver that message to consumers.”
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