The Olympics can seem like a slam dunk for advertisers — they get to take part in a brand-safe, culturally pervasive event with huge reach to all demos — and yet, sometimes, they still get it a bit wrong.
Over in the US, Google and Microsoft took the chance to make the world’s premier sporting event, the summit of everything that humankind can aspire to, a platform to talk about generative AI.
Google’s ad was perhaps a greater offender than Microsoft’s. The search giant aired its new ad, a continuation of the campaign started during this year’s Super Bowl, during the Opening Ceremony. It showed how US hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone inspired a young girl to get into the sport and break her world record one day.
So far, so Olympics.
However, while the young girl’s passion for the sport is palpable, she apparently can’t quite put pen to page to tell McLaughlin-Levrone that. Fortunately, Google’s Gemini AI is on hand!
The Drum reported that the ad was “ideated and produced in-house” — which probably shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Google’s “Dear Sydney” spot has left many in the advertising community questioning its very concept.
Lola Bakare, CMO advisor, author, inclusive marketing strategist and Cannes in Cairns keynote-r, said that she was a “little creeped out by the ad.”
“Was anyone else disturbed by the “help my daughter write a fan letter” commercial???” she posted on LinkedIn.
“Isn’t the whole magic that the kid actually writes the fan letter themselves?
“How is it heartwarming to hear a Dad work with Gemini AI to ghostwrite a fan letter behind his daughter’s back?
“I’m a little creeped out tbh lol.”
Shelly Palmer, professor of advanced media at Syracuse University in the US, said the ad makes him “want to scream”.
He wrote on his website, “It is one of the most disturbing commercials I’ve ever seen. To be clear, I love the idea of a young aspiring athlete inspired by an Olympic athlete. That’s awesome.
“But after the exposition, the father decides that rather than coach his daughter to express herself honestly and then assist her by helping her use her own words, he will write the following prompt into Gemini: ‘Help my daughter write a letter telling Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone how inspiring she is and be sure to mention that my daughter plans on breaking her world record… one day. (She says sorry, not sorry.)’
“This is exactly what we do not want anyone to do with AI. Ever.”
B&T has contacted Google about its plans for the ad moving forward. After publication, B&T received the following statement from a Google spokesperson:
“We believe that AI can be a great tool for enhancing human creativity, but can never replace it. Our goal was to create an authentic story celebrating Team USA. It showcases a real-life track enthusiast and her father, and aims to show how the Gemini app can provide a starting point, thought starter, or early draft for someone looking for ideas for their writing.”
However, Google was not the only Silicon Valley firm taking the pinnacle of human determination as an opportunity to spruik its AI.
In its spot, Microsoft focuses on the stories of underdog athletes, from an elderly runner to a pregnant weightlifter and a surf club in an unnamed but presumably African country. While “they say” that these athletes can’t do what they love they say in return “watch me”.
Again, it’s all very Olympics.
Then, with a drumroll, Copilot for Microsoft 365 springs into action, providing the generative AI smarts to help improve their performance and give them the tools they need to garner more support.
For instance, one athlete asks Copilot to analyse their heart rate data and offer insights. Another asks Copilot to create a presentation to drum up funding for the surf club and it can even share notes from a call with a doctor with a coach.
The ad ends with “You empowered”.
The ad was developed by Panay Films for Microsoft.
“The Olympics is more suited to our message because it is full of dreamers,” Brian Klugman, head of creative at Panay Films, told Ad Age.
“How do you make a spot about [AI] technology? You make a spot about the people using the technology,” he added.
However, he cautioned that it was a “supplemental tool” for people.
There has certainly been less ire around Microsoft’s ad than Google’s.
You’ll notice that neither ad directly references the Olympics or Olympians. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is known for its incredibly strict rules around what can adverts can and can’t reference its competition.
