April 21 - Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Sponsor Procter & Gamble (P&G) has released its first global advertising campaign concurrently across the world, showing the lives of Olympic and Paralympic athletes through the eyes of their parents.
The video of the advertisement, released to coincide with the "100 days to go" until London 2012 mark on Wednesday (April 18), can be watched here.
Called The Hardest Job is the Best Job, the film opens with parents across the world waking up their children.
It then shows a parent taking her daughter swimming and watching as she takes her first steps in the pool (pictured top).
Other parents prepare food (pictured below), wash clothes and attend to injuries as youngsters play volleyball in the street or run in the park.
Later, the child swimmer and volleyball player start to compete professionally, as does a young gymnast and runner, before all are shown competing on the biggest stage of all: at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The advertisement finishes by showing the proud reactions of the parents in the crowds watching their children (pictured below) – followed by the "The Hardest Job is the Best Job" strapline.
It also forms a key part of P&G's global "Thank you, mum" campaign, designed to ensure that mothers have the chance to watch their sons or daughters compete in London this summer.
Most of P&G's key brands – including Gillette, Pampers and Oral-B – were set to activate the campaign at the same time as the clip went live.
Irwin Lee, P&G UK and Ireland managing director and vice-president, said: "Launching our first global P&G campaign allows us to shine a light on the amazing work mums do every single day in raising their children.
"At P&G, our business is all about supporting mums across the world with products like Pampers, Ariel and Fairy.
"Through our partnership with the International Olympic Committee, we are using our voice to celebrate mums for everything they do, and to inspire people everywhere to express thanks to their mum or a mum that they know."
Mum of two Paula Radcliffe, the wowen's world marathon record holder and a Pampers ambassador on behalf of P&G, commented: "I am very proud to be part of this campaign as I know that I wouldn't be where I am today without the unconditional support of my mum and family - thank you, mum."
The release of the advertisement coincides with the rolling out of a series of short documentaries about London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic hopes over the coming weeks.
In all 50 documentaries will be shown worldwide over the coming months – the global Olympic and Paralympic sponsor supports more than 150 top athletes who have, between them, collected 375 international medals.
Among those in the conglomerate's stable are 16-times grand-slam tennis champion Roger Federer and Chinese badminton star Lin Dan, the only player to win all nine of the sport's major titles.
-David Gold
Source: www.insidethegames.biz