Samsung x 2016 Rio Olympics

Samsung pushes the limits of what feels possible through innovation. When partnering with the 2016 Olympic Games, it was no different. Our goal was to help them own the moment, championing the world-changing defiance that drives their technology and unifies us all.

To do this, we wanted to remind everyone that we were all born to turn the impossible into the possible. We needed to create immersive narrative experiences that seamlessly connected the world at the literal speed of light in ways no one had ever seen before. Innovation meeting innovation around the peak of human performance. Game on.


Do What You Cant

The Olympic campaign was anchored in an integrated approach. The launch focused on a world singing a united anthem and was supplemented with stories revolving around Olympians who were defying the odds. Their journeys and perseverance were the connective tissue, starting with the athletes’ paths to become Olympians, and continuing in real-time with their barrier-defying accomplishments at the games. 




Samsung Galaxy Studio in Olympic Park

The on-site footprint continued to awaken a sense of endless wonder and possibilities. Each activation highlighted another boundary-pushing innovation, allowing visitors to experience the limitless, almost magical technology directly. From competing in Olympic events firsthand through immersive VR, to connecting Olympians with their loved ones and fans in real-time via the Social Galaxy 360-degree experience, the Galaxy Studio allowed people to do more than they ever imagined possible.




Olympians, celebrity athletes, and influencers stopped by, eager to break barriers with us.  Select Olympians were even outfitted with a limited edition Samsung x Olympics Galaxy S7, allowing them to stay connected and chronicle their adventures inside the Galaxy Studio and throughout the Summer Games. 






#DoWhatYouCant Around The World

Beyond the Galaxy Studio in Olympic Park, Samsung had another footprint in Rio, making it all possible. A 24/7 content team rivaling the always-on media coverage of the Olympics. From their warroom, our content team connected audiences with the athletes, the games, and the stories that proved you can #DoWhatYouCant.

As records were broken and history was made, the team generated real-time responsive content. We were posting, sure, but we didn’t stop there. Banners were chronicling each athletic accomplishment in our media buys as they happened. Each piece was even deployed with an appropriate day or night theme based on the time in Rio, further connecting the global audience. 



We took over full website media buys alongside articles about the games, truly transforming the boundaries between the internet and real life, and bringing people together in real-time. It wasn’t about who was standing at the podium. It was about shattering expectations.






We Did What Hadn’t Been Done

We connected the world to the Olympic Games at a new level. From Olympian stories to fan interactions, historic moments, and even national anthems, we defied the expectations of unity, diversity, technology, connection, and possibility. But that was the point. An Olympic campaign, designed not around the athletics of it all, but our shared human perseverance. What drives us inside is what connects us everywhere.



While we centered the conversation around defying the odds, Samsung was the one breaking records. We put people in the middle of the action in real time, connecting them to the human truth of every conversation, wherever they were, whatever they were doing, and with whatever device they were using in that moment.




Our approach kept Samsung at the top of people’s newsfeeds for the duration of the Olympics. Brand consideration rose by 9%. And 60% of people said they were likely to purchase a Samsung the next time they bought a mobile device.

Over 390 million engagements across 8 countries

1 in 10 people instantly liked or reposted

#DoWhatYouCant was mentioned 60,000 times

We were recognised by the media and our peers as the top Olympics sponsor of 2016, dominating headlines globally. Numerous media outlets including Marketing Week, PR Week, and AdAge, proclaimed Samsung as the most talked about brand of Rio 2016 (beating Coke, P&G and VISA).

While a lot of people took home hard-won awards for their time in Rio (including us!), it’s fair to say Samsung ultimately won the 2016 Olympics.