From Snowflakes to Shelf Space: The Olympic Collabs That Actually Stuck (and a Few That… Didn’t)

Every Winter Olympics feels like stepping into a snow globe of human achievement. You get the impossible runs, the last-second finishes, the moments that make you believe in things like grit and destiny again. 

And then, somewhere between the downhill and the highlights, you notice something else. 

Brands are everywhere. 

Not just logos tucked into the corners of broadcasts, but actual products, collections, and experiences, designed, launched, and dropped into culture at the exact moment when the world is paying attention. The Olympics have quietly become one of the biggest real-time innovation stages on the planet. 

That’s been especially true at the Milano Cortina Games. This year hasn’t just been about visibility. It’s been about turning Olympic energy into things you can wear, eat, share, and talk about. 

Which is exciting. And also slightly unforgiving. 

Because in a moment this big, there’s no warm-up lap. You either land instantly, or you disappear into the blur of everything else competing for attention. 

That’s why more brands are starting to approach the Olympics less like a sponsorship and more like an innovation pipeline. Ideas are generated quickly, refined quickly, and increasingly, tested before they ever go live. In an environment where attention is measured in seconds, the real question isn’t “do people understand this?” It’s “do people feel something immediately?” 

System1’s Test Your Innovation tool is built exactly for this reality. It allows brands to take early-stage concepts, whether that’s a product, a flavor, or even just a rough idea, and understand the emotional response it’s likely to generate. Not after launch. Before anything is committed. Before budgets are locked. Before inventory is produced. 

Because in a moment like the Olympics, there is no room for “we’ll learn and optimize later.” 

And in a year where even some of the medals themselves didn’t exactly hold up under pressure, the idea of “does this hold up?” has taken on a slightly more literal meaning. If the symbol of excellence can chip, crack, or fade, brands probably shouldn’t assume they get a pass. 

The bar is high. Emotionally and otherwise. 

Also, Can We Talk About Snoop for a Second?

Before getting into the work, a quick personal rant. 

One of the unexpected highlights of these Games has been watching Snoop Dogg casually become the connective tissue of the Olympics. He’s not competing. He’s not coaching. He’s just there, showing up across moments, reacting, commenting, being himself. 

And somehow, that’s exactly what works. 

He feels natural. Unscripted. Human. 

Which is precisely what the best Olympic collaborations have managed to capture. Not something bolted onto the Games, but something that feels like it belongs there. 

And this is where a lot of collaborations quietly struggle. Authenticity is easy to talk about and hard to deliver. It’s also one of the clearest drivers of emotional response. People can sense when something feels forced almost instantly. 

 That’s why testing for emotional authenticity early in the process is so valuable. System1’s Test Your Innovation allows brands to validate whether an idea feels genuine or manufactured before it ever reaches the public. Because once it’s out there, there’s no hiding it. 

When Merch Becomes Must-Have

Fashion has always been part of the Olympic story, but this year it felt sharper, more intentional, and far more culturally aware. 

The Ralph Lauren x Team USA Opening Ceremony Collection is a perfect example. Ralph Lauren has been dressing Team USA for years, but the execution continues to evolve. This year’s collection balanced heritage and modernity in a way that felt less like official uniform and more like something you’d actually want in your wardrobe. 

That kind of balance is incredibly difficult to get right. Too much heritage and it feels dated. Too much modernity and it loses credibility. The sweet spot is emotional. 

This is exactly where Test Your Innovation can play a role. Brands can test multiple design routes early, comparing which executions feel premium, desirable, and relevant. Instead of relying on internal opinions, they can quantify which version creates the strongest emotional pull. 

Then there’s SKIMS x Team USA, where SKIMS took a completely different approach. Instead of ceremony, it leaned into comfort and intimacy. Soft, wearable pieces that felt designed for real life, not just the podium. 

That shift works because it taps into relatability rather than aspiration. And again, that’s something that can be tested. Does the concept make people feel included? Does it feel wearable? Does it feel like something they would actually buy? 

And the J.Crew x U.S. Ski & Snowboard Après Collection from J.Crew managed to bottle something more atmospheric. Cozy, nostalgic, alpine. It feels like a memory you haven’t actually had, but suddenly want. 

That emotional reaction, that immediate “I want that,” is what separates a collection that sells from one that sits. And increasingly, brands are using tools like Test Your Innovation to ensure they are building toward that reaction from the start. 

The Sweet Spot: Playful Product Extensions

On the more playful side, some of the most effective collaborations leaned into simplicity. 

Hershey’s Chocolate Medals are a perfect example. The Hershey Company took the most recognizable symbol of the Olympics and turned it into something edible. It’s intuitive, joyful, and instantly understood. 

And yes, given this year’s headlines, there’s a slightly amusing thought that these versions might actually hold up better over time. 

But this is also where many ideas fall apart. What feels clever in a brainstorm can feel gimmicky on shelf. The distance between “that’s fun” and “why does this exist?” is incredibly small. 

This is one of the clearest use cases for Test Your Innovation. Brands can test not just the idea, but the full execution. The name, the packaging, the visual identity, and the concept working together as a system. 

• Does it spark joy immediately? 

• Does it feel worth picking up? 

• Does it stand out in a crowded environment? 

Because in food and beverage, you don’t get a second chance. If it doesn’t earn a hand reach, it’s over. Testing helps ensure you’re not guessing which ideas will land. 

Function, But Make It Human

Not every collaboration leaned into spectacle. Some of the most interesting ones were grounded in function, but framed in a way that still connected emotionally. 

First Aid Beauty x Team USA from First Aid Beauty is a great example. Skincare designed for harsh winter conditions might not sound inherently exciting, but in the context of elite athletes, it suddenly feels purposeful. 

Even more niche, but oddly memorable, was the heated seat cushion developed for Team USA curlers. It’s hyper-specific, but it solves a real problem. 

The challenge with functional ideas is that “it works” isn’t enough. People need to feel something. 

Test Your Innovation is particularly valuable here because it allows brands to test different ways of framing the same benefit. One execution might feel clinical. Another might feel human and relatable. The product doesn’t change, but the reaction does. 

By testing early, brands can ensure that functional products don’t just make sense, but actually connect. 

Content is the New Product

One of the biggest shifts this year is how much of the Olympic experience lives outside traditional formats. 

The partnerships led by NBCUniversal across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Meta have transformed the Games into a constant stream of moments. Behind-the-scenes clips, athlete stories, creator-driven content. 

The Olympics are no longer just something you watch. They’re something you scroll. 

And this is where collaborations become content engines. A product isn’t just something you buy. It’s something you see, share, and engage with. 

System1’s TikTok thought leadership reinforces this. The most effective content creates an emotional reaction in the first few seconds. It feels native. It doesn’t interrupt the experience. 

That’s why brands are increasingly using Test Your Innovation to pre-test content itself. Not just products. Short-form videos, campaign concepts, creative routes. 

• Which version stops the scroll? 

• Which version creates joy, surprise, or interest immediately? 

• Which version balances entertainment with brand recognition? 

Because if it doesn’t land instantly, it doesn’t exist. 

That Try to Be More Than a Photo Op

Beyond products and content, brands also leaned into immersive experiences. 

The Samsung Olympic House activations from Samsung are a strong example of what that can look like when it works. These spaces weren’t just about showcasing technology. They were about bringing people closer to the Olympic experience. 

At their best, these experiences feel immersive and memorable. 

At their worst, they feel like a backdrop. 

And the challenge is that experiential is expensive. Once it’s built, it’s built. There’s no easy way to pivot. 

That’s why testing early concepts becomes critical. With Test Your Innovation, brands can evaluate experiential ideas before committing to full production. Using concepts, visuals, or storyboards, they can understand which experiences are likely to create a meaningful emotional response. 

Because the difference between “must visit” and “walk past” is often something you can measure before you build. 

Landing the Jump

If there’s a common thread across all of these collaborations, it’s that they live or die in an instant. 

You see the product. You feel something. Or you don’t. 

There isn’t much middle ground. 

The brands that are winning aren’t just the ones with the biggest ideas. They’re the ones building with emotional precision. Designing for how people will feel, not just what they will think. 

And increasingly, they’re not leaving that to instinct alone. They’re testing. Learning. Refining. 

Using tools like System1’s Test Your Innovation to ensure that what they launch is not just visible, but impactful. Because in a moment like the Olympics, that difference is everything. 

The Real Gold Medal

The best Olympic collaborations this year weren’t necessarily the biggest or the most complex. 

They were the ones that felt human. 

• The sweater you’d actually wear. 

• The chocolate that made you smile. 

• The product that solved something real. 

• The content that made you pause mid-scroll. 

Or the personality that somehow made the entire experience feel more connected. #TeamSnoop 

And yes, ideally, they held together under pressure. 

Because in the end, winning at the Olympics, whether you’re an athlete or a brand, comes down to the same thing. 

You have to connect in the moment. 

Everything else melts away. 

Ready to Test Your Innovation Before It Hits the World Stage?

The Olympics don’t reward ideas that almost land. They reward the ones that connect instantly, hold up under pressure, and stay with people long after the moment passes.

Innovation works the same way.

Before you commit the budget, before you lock the design, before you go to market, you can understand how your idea will make people feel.

System1’s Test Your Innovation helps you do exactly that. It allows you to evaluate early-stage concepts and see which ones create real emotional impact from the very first impression.

Because when the moment comes, there is no warm up lap.

Test Your Innovation. Make sure it is ready for the podium.