Gold medal in scrolling

What pointer can brands take from TikTok, and the huge success the app has seen in the Olympics? We’ll break it down for you: relatability, humour, and just a touch of insider-only info. Who wouldn’t love it?

While Peacock is the official distribution partner of the Olympics, viewers are actually more interested in TikTok’s behind the scenes access to Olympians and their lives in the villa. In the past, we’ve watched the Olympics and been in awe of the superhuman athletes representing countries from all around the world, but the comments this year talk more about how similar we are to these people, rather than different.

Take, for example, the clip of Simone Biles debating with her Team USA teammates what TikTok sound they’re going to use in the background when they win, and the subsequent video using the trending ‘crunchy celery’ sound. Comments on the video said that they were relatable, just like normal, everyday girls.

Or the fact that people around the world are tuning into the TikTok saga of Henrik Christiansen, Team Norway swimmer, and how much he loves the chocolate chip muffins available in the Olympic Village canteen. Or the Olympians who have admitted on TikTok that it’s less of an Olympic Village, and more of a Love Island Olympic Villa…we’re not going to unpack that one!

The world of social media has allowed people through the keyhole into the lives of athletes, and rather than watching their training programmes, or their diets, people are interested in the things that bring them together. The quest for a muffin, the hunt for a TikTok sound, playing dress up with the Olympic uniform. Brands looking to connect with people need to remember that we’ve all got more in common than we think we do – and that brands have the facilities to help us show that off.

Sarson’s tangy rebrand

If it ain’t broke, why fix it? Well, clearly nobody at Sarson’s paid attention to that lesson. The heritage brand recently did a total revamp of their branding, bottles, and ads, positioning them younger and more refreshed. Has Sarson’s stuck the landing – or have they bottled it?

Sarson’s rebrand is the most recent in a long line of heritage brands deciding to shake things up. We’ve had Golden Syrup abandon their ancient spoon-opened tin, Jello-O has updated its typography for the first time in decades, and Mirinda has moved away from its acid mid-00s funky patterns. And, of course, the iconic Burger King and McDonald’s vibe shift of recent years. What exactly is this hailing for us in the ad world?

Most of these brands are being taken down for trying to update their historic designs – Tate & Lyle is particularly under fire for getting rid of their iconic dying lion surrounded by flies. Brands are clearly feeling like it’s time to update their images as the world changes around them, but certain brands may need to weigh up whether it’s worth abandoning their iconic looks.

Sarson’s will probably get away with this rebrand, as it’s only a flanker product (the squeezy sauces) that are being reskinned; our chip shop hero is safe. Golden Syrup, on the other hand, suddenly vanished and there was nothing remaining of its previous design. Brands need to understand that for some of them, changing up their design totally would be like reading a Roald Dahl book with non-Quentin Blake illustrations: confusing, and ultimately, a bit of a betrayal.

Euro-summer

It’s coming home! (Or, is it?) Regardless of the results of the 2024 UEFA finals, England put on a stunning performance – in ad land. Here are some of our favourite Euros ads.

England Without Immigration

A striking portrait of what the England team would look like without immigration, sticking it to those who insist that England is falling apart due to refugees, migrants, and the European Union.

England Til I Died

The British Heart Foundation put out a series of OOH murals, showcasing young football fans who died of heart conditions before their time. The ads highlighted succinctly, and maybe even brutally, that twelve young people lose their lives to heart conditions every week.

Irn Bru

On a lighter note, Irn Bru are showing off classic Scottish humour in their ad. They worked on a very pertinent brand platform – the fact that the German word for ‘football team’ is mannschaft, and the human insight that that is objectively hilarious. Sometimes, it’s totally okay to be silly, have fun, and embrace one of the best summers yet.