Canadian Olympic Team Launches #WeAreWinter Campaign

BY: 

Dave Forde
December 31, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGtopdQ7i1EThere are only 37 days left until the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games and today the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has just launched its “We Are Winter” campaign.

As part of the campaign, a national video, “We Are Winter,” was created which entitled Crossroads featuring Sochi medal hopefuls Kaillie Humphries,Mark McMorris and Mikaël Kingsbury, will air nationally during CBC’s coverage of the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on January 1 on CBC-TV and online at cbcsports.ca.  

The new campaign amassed more than 100 hours of video footage and was planned, shot and edited over a 16-month period. Canadians will recognize some of Canada’s most natural backdrops, as scenes from the Canadian Rockies, the Prairies and settings in the province of Quebec are all highlighted in the campaign. “We Are Winter” features two :60-second and four :30-second TV spots and one :15-second spot all in French and English.

“The Olympics to me, is the pinnacle of success and being able to share that journey with Canadians across the country is an incredible honour,” said Kaillie Humphries, Vancouver 2010 Olympic gold medallist. “To have the opportunity to compete against the world’s best and become a back-to-back champion that’s the dream I’m chasing.”

“This is truly an original campaign for the Canadian Olympic Team,” said Christopher Overholt, CEO and Secretary General, Canadian Olympic Committee. “The idea that our Canadian athletes will be better able to connect with fans and Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast in advance of the Sochi Games, is something that we are extremely excited about.”

Shot on location in Calgary, Montreal, Quebec City and Whistler, “We Are Winter” depicts the high-performance training regimens of Canadian athletes through the lens of critically-acclaimed Canadian director and producer, Henry Lu. The campaign also features dramatic stills of Sochi-bound athletes, captured by top Canadian photographer Chris Gordaneer from Westside Studios.

“The essence of this campaign originated from conversations with our athletes who all said the same thing: Winter defines them and defines who we are as a country,” said Derek Kent, Chief Marketing Officer, Canadian Olympic Committee. “We wanted to inspire Canadians by showcasing the drive, determination and grit of our athletes as they train for the Olympic Games. We wanted Canadians to really get to know our athletes and their remarkably inspiring stories. We are proud of what we have built and that we are putting a brighter spotlight on our national sporting heroes.”

In total, the campaign will show 17 of Canada’s athletes promoting 10 Olympic sports and includes seven inspiring athlete documentaries. In addition to airing the national TV debut, CBC is also the exclusive broadcaster of the :60 spot entitled MANIFESTO, voiced by Yzerman, who is also a former Detroit Red Wing Captain and current Executive Director of Canada’s Men’s Hockey Team.

“As the Official Broadcaster for Sochi 2014, we are delighted to be working closely with the Canadian Olympic Committee in building excitement prior to the start of the Games,” said Bridget Hoffer, Executive Director Communications, Marketing and Brand, CBC. “We have been introducing Canadians to the athletes in the last few months and now the countdown is on to cheer loudly for them.”

The COC has also turned to Twitter as the official and exclusive social media partner of the Canadian Olympic Team, which they will be looking to help as a brand extension channel using the hashtags #WeAreWinter / #NousSommeslHiver where the online conversation can take place.

This first ever COC social media partnership will offer opportunities to Canadian Olympic Team partners to promote Canadian Olympic tweets (from approved athlete handles and official Team handles: @CDNOlympicTeam and @OlympiqueCanada).

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Dave Forde


Dave “The Connector” Forde has been involved in the marketing, public relations and technology industry across Canada for over 20 years in various sales and marketing roles, he launched The Connected One network of business sites which connects buyers to the right sellers. Profectio and PR In Canada covers news about the marketing and public relations industry each day helping professionals advance their career and businesses. He also serves as an advisor to a number of businesses across the country. Find Dave on LinkedIn and Twitter.


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