Aldi's Kevin fails to shine as Paris winners are revealed

Great Britain and Northern Ireland might be holding their own at the Paris 2024 Olympics but in terms of advertising they have failed to reach the winner’s podium so far, with only Aldi (4th) and the BBC (9th) getting anywhere near on the global stage.

So says the latest analysis from creative effectiveness platform System1, which reveals that while Kevin the Carrot might be popular in the UK, elsewhere in the world, other brands are performing better.

System1’s Test Your Ad platform assigns creative a score of 1.0 to 5.9 stars based on long-term brand-building potential, with dynamic emotional stories and feelings of happiness driving the strongest results.

So far, the Paris 2024 ads have averaged 3.2 Stars, with Dicks Sporting Goods in the US taking home the gold medal, and Team Australia leading with the most ads in the top 10.

Brands are successfully maximising the use of storytelling, talent and intellectual property to deliver emotion-led campaigns. One campaign has won the coveted 5-Star Rating, while 14 brands have achieved 4-Stars, predicting strong long-term brand-building potential.

The top Olympics ads for 2024 are:

Dicks Sporting Goods (US) – “Big Moments Every Day” – 5.7 Stars
YES BANK (India) – “Cheer for Team India at the Paris Olympics 2024” – 4.9 Stars
Woolworths (Australia) – “Fresh Fuels the Best in All of Us” – 4.8 Stars
Aldi (UK) – “Has Kevin Met His Match?” – 4.7 Stars
AAMI (Australia) – “When Our Athletes are in the Making” – 4.7 Stars
NBC Sports (US) – “Why is Sabrina in Paris?” – 4.6 Stars
Qantas (Australia) – “Qantas x Australian Olympic and Paralympic Teams” – 4.6 Stars
Rebel (Australia) – “Sport is Calling” – 4.6 Stars
BBC (UK) – “Paris 2024 Olympics | Official Trailer” – 4.4 Stars
Accor (France) – “Glace” – 4.3 Stars

System1 says this year’s most successful ads have hit top marks by following a few key themes, including “hope helps drive happiness”, with brands like Rebel and Woolworths embracing the reward and payoff of hard work. Offering hope and inspiration aligns with the peak-end rule – ensuring the conclusion leaves audiences with an intense, positive feeling.

Meanwhile the “sport brings people together” strategy has also shone through. Woolworths and others have highlighted the power of sport to unite communities, emphasising shared experiences and memories. Themes of togetherness, camaraderie, and compassion emerged prominently, driving universal and broad appeal.

Similarly, a “humour offers brand-building gains” stance has seen characters in humorous and unexpected situations putting a smile on viewers’ faces and resulting in feelings of happiness and surprise. Aldi has Kevin the Carrot on a quest to light the Olympic torch, with a few funny obstacles along the way, and Accor features an employee going the extra mile for a guest with an ice cream cone mimicking the Olympic torch.

The final strategy has seen “aspiring athletes being the stars”. This year, brands like AAMI and Dicks have celebrated athletes who, though not competing in the Olympics now, are gearing up for future events. Their storytelling, highlighting the journey and rewards of pursuing goals, uses children to keep the message hopeful and inspiring, portraying them as beacons of positivity and future potential.

System1 chief customer officer Jon Evans said: “In the race for effectiveness medals, the brands that inspire and wow will win the hearts of viewers and build mental availability to drive long-term growth.

“Some advertisers are leveraging celebrity athletes while others are highlighting future hopefuls. Many are leaning into humour, a proven brand-building winner, and plenty are featuring distinctive brand assets like recurring characters, as well as rich storytelling to make their mark.”

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