Dive Brief:

• Procter & Gamble this week launched its delayed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 campaign, renewing its theme of saluting parents who encourage children to achieve athletic greatness. The campaign opened with the release of two short films titled "Love Leads to Good" and "Your Goodness Is Greatness" that build on the theme of its "Thank You, Mom" campaigns from past Olympics, per an announcement.
• P&G and the International Olympic Committee produced a documentary-style series dubbed "Good Is Gold" that focuses on the real-life stories of four athletes who have taken action against bias and inequality. P&G also will partner with retailers to support Team USA with in-store, TV and digital campaigns featuring athletes and its portfolio brands including Tide, Pantene, Olay, Venus, Always, Secret and SK-II, per the announcement.
• As part of its campaign, P&G, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee announced the 52 recipients of the Athletes for Good Fund, which honors athletes who support their communities in advancing equality, inclusion and sustainability. The fund will donate $10,000 to charitable organizations those athletes support.

Dive Insight:

P&G has returned with another heartwarming campaign for the Olympics that honors parents who not only support the athletic achievements of their children, but also raise them to be caring people who respect others, regardless of their differences. The videos use the same "Lead With Love" slogan the company introduced in December alongside its pledge to do 2,021 acts of good that included efforts to promote inclusion, sustainability and education throughout 2021. The campaign also echoes its "Thank You, Mom" efforts from past Olympic Games, seeking to resonate with women who make most of the purchase decisions in households.

"Over the past decade, we have been honored and humbled to tell the stories of amazing athletes and the families who have supported them on the journey to achieving their Olympic and Paralympic dreams," Marc Pritchard, P&G's chief brand officer, said in the announcement. "When those dreams were put on hold in 2020, we were inspired as they moved beyond their own disappointment and stepped up to help others and serve their communities."

"Lead With Love" is P&G's overriding theme that guides its marketing efforts this year, including the campaign for the Olympics. As part of the pledge to support good deeds, the company introduced its P&G Good Everyday loyalty program that lets members earn points they can redeem for rewards. P&G donates to causes favored by consumers as they report their acts of good on its website.

With its "Good is Gold" series, P&G continues its efforts to combat bias and inequality, in the advertising world and beyond. Most recently, it launched "Widen The Screen," a content creation, talent development and partnership platform that will work for increased inclusion of Black creators across advertising, film and television industries.

P&G's campaign for the Olympics is another sign of its return to sports marketing after the pandemic led professional and collegiate leagues to cancel or delay their seasons. The company last month signed a multiyear sponsorship of Major League Soccer (MLS) to encourage inclusion in the sport and broaden its reach among multicultural fans. Through the partnership, P&G and MLS said they will work with local communities to open up youth access to soccer. However, even as P&G helps kick off the expected ad blitz around the Olympics, questions remain about how Japan is handling its coronavirus response that could further complicate the massive sporting event.