COC and CBC/Radio-Canada launch “Brave is Unbeatable” campaign ahead of Paris 2024
The campaign tells the stories of nine Team Canada athletes.
Iconic Canadians Michael J. Fox and Céline Dion lend their voices to Team Canada.
TORONTO (April 19, 2024) – Today, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and CBC/Radio-Canada officially launched their joint campaign for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, titled “Brave is Unbeatable.”
“Brave is Unbeatable” aims to rally Canadians behind Team Canada ahead of Paris 2024 by showcasing the side of athletes that’s not often seen, and the obstacles they must overcome to compete on the world stage. The campaign tells the stories of Team Canada athletes and their paths to the Olympic Games, including navigating anxiety, getting cut from their high school teams, or coping with pressure. “Brave is Unbeatable” sets out to remind Canadians that everyone faces their own unique set of obstacles, and inspire them to tap into their own sense of bravery to take on whatever comes at them.
“Brave is Unbeatable” primarily features nine Team Canada athletes, including:
- Ellie Black (Halifax, N.S.) – Artistic Gymnastics
- Maude Charron (Rimouski, Que.) – Weightlifting
- Andre De Grasse (Markham, Ont.) – Athletics
- Justina Di Stasio (Coquitlam, B.C.) – Wrestling
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Hamilton, Ont.) – Basketball
- Hugo Houle (Sainte-Perpétue, Que.) – Cycling
- Philip “Phil Wizard” Kim (Vancouver, B.C.) – Breaking
- Maggie Mac Neil (London, Ont.) – Swimming
- Skylar Park (Winnipeg, Man.) – Taekwondo
Building on this theme, the campaign is narrated by two iconic Canadians whose stories of success, bravery, and resilience in the face of adversity have inspired the world: in English by Michael J. Fox, and in French by Céline Dion.
“Brave is Unbeatable” marks the first time the COC and CBC/Radio-Canada have collaborated on a campaign, allowing for greater impact across all channels and emphasizing the strength and depth of the partnership between the COC and Canada’s Olympic Network. Paris 2024 will also mark the first time CBC/Radio-Canada will be broadcasting live daily from Canada Olympic House.
The campaign was conceived and executed in conjunction with The Hive, an agency based in both Montreal and Toronto. The campaign is led by the inspirational 60-second film “What We Don’t See,” directed by Hubert Davis, an Academy Award-nominated Canadian filmmaker known for his work on the documentaries Black Ice and Giants of Africa.
The campaign also features six supplementary shorts, as well as out-of-home, digital, experiential, social media and print executions, which will be rolled out over the coming months in the lead up to and during the Games.
The campaign launches today and will make its media debut over the weekend on CBC and Radio-Canada channels.
To learn more about the campaign and view the videos along with other creative assets, please visit https://preprod.olympic.ca/braveisunbeatable.
QUOTES:
“I had to completely change my training and preparation in order to drop to a new weight class. This was a big challenge for me,” said Maude Charron, Olympic champion in weightlifting. “But I adapted, and I am preparing to be stronger than ever and show the world what I’m made of. I’m so happy to represent my country on the world stage, and I hope my story inspires Canadians to keep pushing towards their goals.”
“‘Throughout my career, when I’ve experienced injuries and setbacks, I used to question whether I could still compete against the world’s best,” said Andre De Grasse, six-time Olympic medallist in athletics. “But my belief in myself is stronger than any doubt I’ve ever faced. That resiliency helps me push through all the adversity. And it’s worth it, because when we get to Paris, I know I’ll have the support of the whole country lifting me up, too.”
“I’m a fourth-generation taekwondo athlete, and one of 16 black belts in my family. I have my entire family’s strength, knowledge, and support behind me, but what you don’t see is that I’m carrying my family’s legacy on my shoulders,” said Skylar Park, Olympian in taekwondo. “Coming from a very accomplished family, I feel a lot of pressure to continue my family’s legacy in the sport. But I thrive on this pressure. I hope these ads remind people that we all deal with pressure, but there’s so much reward in not giving up. I can’t wait to compete on Team Canada this summer.”
“This campaign reflects everything that Team Canada is about,” said Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the COC and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. “It’s so inspiring that these nine athletes were able to tell their stories of perseverance. And of course we’re thrilled that two of Canada’s greatest performers volunteered their time and lent their voices to help tell them. What an exciting milestone and moment for Team Canada! I hope Canadians will be inspired by these stories, and rally behind Canadian athletes this summer!”
“This campaign is a natural extension of our ongoing commitment to following the journeys and sharing the stories of high performance athletes with audiences across the country,” said Chris Wilson, CBC/Radio-Canada’s General Manager of Olympics, Paris 2024. “By profiling these nine elite athletes from diverse communities and sports, and featuring national icons Céline Dion and Michael J. Fox, we hope the campaign will unite Canadians in their excitement for Paris 2024.”
“The stories of these athletes inspire me,” said Celine Dion, the five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and Companion of the Order of Canada. “I cannot wait to see what each of them accomplishes when they go for it in Paris this summer, where I hope they will also inspire the world. It was an honour to be part of this campaign, and to help tell their stories.”
“I’m so proud to have been part of this campaign,” said Michael J. Fox, the five-time Emmy Award-winner and Officer of the Order of Canada. “It’s amazing to see what these athletes have overcome in order to achieve greatness. I think that story is so important, and we can all relate to that struggle to persevere despite the odds. I consider myself part of Team Canada, and I’ll be cheering them all on as they compete in Paris this summer.”
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Peter Saltsman
Senior Manager, Public Relations
C: 647-382-6986
E: psaltsman@olympic.ca
Koteki Inaba
Program Manager, Public Relations
C: 438-337-6010
E: kinaba@olympic.ca
Joanna Landsberg
CBC Public Relations
E: joanna.landsberg@cbc.ca