Procter & Gamble – Your Goodness Is Your Greatness

Since then P&G have released several masterbrand ads with agency Weiden + Kennedy, some of them inspirational, some of them (like the Black Lives Matter themed “The Talk”) taking a stand and affirming the brand’s commitment to diversity. Other brands have followed in P&G’s footsteps, for instance Toyota, whose Olympics commercial starring Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long scored 5-Stars this year and also emphasises the importance of love and family in making an Olympian.

A new P&G masterbrand ad is always an event, and this year’s Olympics ad continues to evolve the theme of parental pride. This time it looks at those Olympic moments where sporting behaviour takes precedence over sport – a wrestler carrying his injured opponent from the ring; a sprinter helping her rival finish, and other examples. The ad also features runner Alysson Felix, a mainstay of the US womens’ relay teams who made headlines in 2019 for challenging Nike on their maternity pay policies for the athletes they employed.

The new ad scored a strong 4-Stars – not quite at the level of “Proud Sponsors” but still a big success for the brand. The point of the ad – with a voiceover representing a proud parent – is summed up by the tagline: “your goodness is your greatness”. What makes these athletes great isn’t just their achievements in competition – it’s rooted in their kindness and integrity.

It’s a potent message for a politically charged time when the lines between fame, achievement and personal behaviour feel more blurred than ever – when athletes and other celebrities from diverse backgrounds always seem to stand for more than just what they do. In Feeling Seen, our UK report with broadcaster ITV and diversity specialist agency DECA, we identified a ‘diversity dividend’ in which already strong scores are boosted among minority groups featured in an ad. We’re replicating the work in the US, where conversations about diversity and inclusion in ads are at a different stage with a different context. But the P&G ad shows there’s still a place for brands in that conversation.

Creative agency credit: Weiden + Kennedy