The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) announced internet domain registrar, GoDaddy as the winner of the 2021 Inspiration awards for excellence in Olympic marketing in Sydney last Thursday night.
GoDaddy’s ‘Dream It. Build It’ campaign earned the top of the podium in a highly competitive field, ahead of Speedo’s ‘Made for Aussies, worn by Olympians’ and Woolworths’ ‘Aussie Heroes’ campaign tied as runners up, with Jockey’s ‘Behind Them All’ campaign awarded the Supplier category award.
“Congratulations and thank you to tonight’s winners, not just on tonight’s accolade but your ongoing support of the Australian Olympic Team,” said AOC CEO, Matt Carroll.
“The Olympic dreams of our athletes simply cannot be realised without the incredible support of our Australian Olympic Team Partners.
“The AOC is proud to present the 2021 Inspiration Awards, to highlight and reward how our Partners have promoted the Olympic spirit, using engaging and innovative campaigns to share athletes’ stories, the Olympic values and the power of the Olympic movement with millions of Australians.”
GoDaddy’s winning campaign leveraged research that showed a quarter of Aussies want to start their own business or side gig but haven’t yet taken the leap, by showcasing the similarities between entrepreneurs and elite athletes to inspire a nation to take the plunge.
Working with four-time Olympian and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist diver Melissa Wu, who also runs multiple small businesses on top of being an elite athlete, GoDaddy ran a screen-led integrated marketing campaign across display, print media and transit, amplified through PR, social and customer care channels.
The judging panel – which included Olympic gold medallist Steve Hooker and Olympic sailor Angela Farrell –praised GoDaddy’s campaign, combining Olympians’ sporting and non-sporting dreams to inspire Australians.
“There were so many great campaigns and it was a really tough decision to find a winner,” said Hooker.
“The GoDaddy campaign stood out in how it highlighted that there is more to Olympians than just their sport and as such it created a connection between the athlete, in this case Melissa Wu, and their customer.
“The objectives of their campaign were really clear and the campaign resulted in a huge business outcome that has carried on beyond the end of the Games. Congratulations to GoDaddy on their well-deserved win.”
GoDaddy Australia managing director, Tamara Oppen, said everyone at GoDaddy Australia was humbled and excited by this honour.
“Being part of the AOC Olympic family as the Official Website Building sponsor of Team Australia continues to be an absolute privilege. So to be recognised amongst so many worthy, impactful and memorable campaigns is extremely special to us.
“From the very beginning of our involvement with Team Australia, we wanted to ensure our campaign was meaningful and gave back to the Australian athletes who made us so proud in Tokyo. By demonstrating the inherent link between athletes and entrepreneurs, we wanted to encourage Aussies to bring their dreams to life. As Australia’s athletes proved, dreams are there to be chased.
“In the AOC, Melissa Wu and the entire Team Australia family, we could not have asked for a more engaging partner, ambassador and community.”
