Mark McMorris is shown in a Canadian Olympic Committee national advertisement called "We are Winter (“Nous sommes l'hiver”).THE CANADIAN PRESS/ho-Canadian Olympic Committee
December 31, 2013 - 7:00 AM
TORONTO - Starting today, you'll be seeing a lot more television ads on the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.
The Canadian Olympic Committee has launched a national advertisement campaign called "We are Winter (“Nous sommes l’hiver") in what it calls the "largest brand undertaking in its history" with just over a month to go before the international games.
The campaign is based on more than 100 hours of video footage highlighting Canada's natural scenery — from the Rockies to the Prairies to the landscapes in Quebec — and will be shown in 15-to-60 minute television spots in both English and French.
The advertisements, which also including mini-documentaries, feature medal hopefuls Kaillie Humphries, Mark McMorris and Mikaël Kingsbury and voiceovers from gold medallists Jean-Luc Brassard and Steve Yzerman. The campaign will ultimately showcase 17 Canadian athletes and 10 Olympic sports.
In addition to the TV spots, the COC also named micro-blogging site Twitter as its official social media partner.
The 2014 Winter Olympic Games will run from Feb. 7-23 in Sochi, Russia.
"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, the COC's chief marketing officer.
"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."
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013