Large global sporting events like the Olympic Games have always been a grand stage for brands to show off and present themselves to their target audiences.

Fiercely competing for the attention of the viewers, ideas have become bolder, stunts braver, and expectations higher. However, while many brands might achieve their goal of getting the most attention possible, only a few manage to become an authentic part of the Olympic movement itself.

Gillette managed exactly this: becoming an indispensable element of the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing 2022.

With P&G already being one of the global sponsors of the Olympic Games, each P&G brand had the choice to either “only” be part of the corporate campaign or pitch in their own ideas how to particularly stand out in Beijing 2022.

We were tasked to come up with an idea that gets Gillette its unfair share of attention during that time of fierce competitions from sportswear, beverage, etc. brands would. While demonstrating the values the brand stands for and push everyday through their products.

Raising awareness amongst Chinese consumers by becoming part of their conversation around the Games was the objective.

"The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the fight; the essential thing is not to have won, but to have fought well” - this is what the Olympic creed is saying for 126 years.

Thus, why is it that no-one ever got awarded for fighting well, but not winning?

We set out to change this by creating the “Personal Best Trophy” and campaigning to recognize those that challenged and overcame their personal best during the Games, regardless of what place they finished.

This way we hoped to inspire everyday athletes and sports fans do reach for their personal bests in any area of their daily life.

“Personal Best” is where brand, event and target audience met:

In a highly competitive society like China, more and more young people define progress as “becoming a better me one day at a time”,

Gillette in China is all about helping people who are trying to “become the best version of themselves”,

And the Olympic creed we already know what it is focusing on - the fight, not the win.

Hence, an official “Personal Best Trophy” that celebrates athletes that are trying to be the best version of themselves during the Olympic Games in Beijing should resonate with and inspire our target audience.

“Official” has been the magic word: if the trophy was not officially recognised, the whole idea would only have been a stunt and most likely not achieved its objectives.

It took 12 months of campaigning behind the scenes, before the “Personal Best Award” was officially announced by the Chinese Olympic Committee on Nov 4, 2021.

Leading up to the Olympic Games, we launched a social campaign celebrating the “Personal Best” spirit.

During the Games, 70 “Personal Best Awards” got awarded. And, Beijing Radio & Television ran nightly segment featuring the personal best highlights and stories of the winners.

70 Personal Best Awards awarded

419,000,000 impressions achieved on Weibo, WeChat, Douyin, etc.

195,000,000 interactions in Weibo (CT, likes, shares, comment)

172,000,000 exposures to the campaign hashtags on Weibo

71,000,000 iVideo views

132 media outlets sharing Personal Best stories

#1 Share of Voice amongst all P&G brands during the Games

Awareness and engagement with the brand not only surpassed all other P&G brands, but more than any Gillette campaign in history. It was Gillette's Personal Best record.