Top 7 Commercials Created for the 2026 Winter Olympics

The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are a global showcase not only for athletes, but for brands as well. And while Games advertising used to be built on epic tales of overcoming and the glint of gold, the 2026 cycle marks a tectonic shift. Brands have stopped idealizing "superhumans" and have started speaking to us about fragility, support, freedom of choice, and the invisible heroes standing behind the scenes.

We analyzed 7 key commercials of the season and broke down how brands are integrating the Olympic agenda by playing on our deepest emotions.

1. Hershey’s: Shifting the Paradigm of Success

This spot from Hershey’s is perhaps the most powerful strike against the traditional perception of high-performance sport. We are used to the Olympics being a "win or bust" scenario where only the gold medal matters. The brand masterfully uses this stereotype to dismantle it.

At the start, we see the tense faces of Team USA stars, automatically answering that their main hope is first place. But then, an emotional shift occurs: the athletes are shown video messages from their loved ones. Parents, looking directly into the camera, admit that medals don’t matter to them—what matters is their children's mental health and joy. Hershey’s positions its product as a symbol of unconditional love and comfort, essential in a world of cutthroat competition. The slogan “Happy place beats first place” is a manifesto for a new sports ethic, where the athlete's psychological state is placed above the result.

2. Eurosport & HBO Max: Generational Conflict in an Italian Village

Streaming services Eurosport and HBO Max approached their advertising with subtle humor and a deep understanding of context. The action takes us to the cozy Italian countryside, where time seems to have stood still. We see an entire town, united by old traditions, gathering in a single hall to cheer on local hero Marco in the curling final. This is a metaphor for "old TV" and collective viewing.

But at the climax, the camera picks out a girl in the hall who, standing in the middle of the crowd, is watching a completely different sport on her smartphone—downhill skiing. There is no disrespect for tradition here, but a clear message: the modern viewer values autonomy. The “Your Olympics. Your Way” campaign brilliantly sells the main advantage of streaming—personalization. You are no longer obliged to watch what the whole village watches; you curate your own emotions.

Lava Media Insight:
This trend confirms a key rule of modern video marketing: brands shouldn't just buy ads on media; they can become the media.

For smartphone brand Meizu, we didn't just make ads; we built an entire ecosystem for football fans. We launched a dedicated YouTube channel with a famous commentator, news, and interviews, gaining over 90,000 subscribers in a year.

Read our case study on How to turn a brand’s YouTube channel into popular media or explore our YouTube Video Production services.

3. Corona Cero: Nature Knows No Borders

Mexican beer brand Corona achieved the seemingly impossible—organically fitting its "beach" DNA into the icy scenery of the Winter Olympics. Instead of changing itself, the brand changed the perspective on winter.

The video is built on stunning visual rhymes: the foamy crest of an ocean wave transforms into a snow drift in the mountains, and a relaxed surfer is mirrored by a snowboarder carving powder. Corona Cero conveys the philosophy that "Golden Moments" are not just medals on a podium, but those seconds of unity with nature when you exhale after a run. The brand stakes its claim on the territory of relaxation, reminding us that both the sun on the beach and the sunset in the snowy Alps evoke the same feeling—the desire to stop and savor the moment.

We explore more of these creative strategies in our article, "Olympic Level: 9 Approaches to Video Content for Milan-Cortina 2026".

4. OMEGA: Drama in Fractions of a Second

Swiss timekeeper OMEGA forewent words, entrusting the narrative to pure sound and rhythm. This spot is a real ASMR thriller for perfectionists. We don't hear inspiring speeches, only the amplified sounds of reality: the click of a rifle bolt, the hiss of a skate on ice, heavy breathing, and the ruthless electronic beep of the timer.

The brand portrays sport as a high-precision mechanism where fates are decided in milliseconds. The visual sequence, consisting of macro shots of pupils, tense muscles, and photo finishes, creates an almost physical sense of tension and adrenaline. OMEGA’s message is crystal clear: in a world of chaos and emotion, we remain the only impartial judge. This is not an ad for watches, but for the absolute truth and precision without which modern sport is simply impossible.

Lava Media Insight:
When the product is precision, the production quality must match. High-dynamic sports require flawless execution to convey the "Perfect Shot."

We utilized this approach for Vivo, creating a high-energy commercial featuring professional football players. We focused on the clarity, vibrancy, and precision of the camera, proving that a smartphone can capture professional-grade sports moments.

Check out our work and capabilities in TV Commercial Production.

5. Samsung: A Chronicle of Love and Technology

Samsung chooses the most touching and surefire angle—a coming-of-age story through the lens of a parent's camera. At the center of the plot is the evolution of a snowboarder, shown through the changing generations of phones. We see archival, grainy footage of her first childhood falls, filmed by her father on old Samsung models, which give way to clear HD videos of teenage tricks and, finally, the flawless picture of professional jumps at the Olympics.

The only constant remains the figure of the father behind the scenes, who has always been the main chronicler of her success. The brand humanizes technology: the smartphone here is not a set of megapixels, but a family's digital memory and an emotional lifeline. The final reunion of father and daughter after the performance visualizes the slogan “Victory is a team sport.” Samsung reminds us: even in an individual sport, standing on top of the podium, you are never alone—your "team," your family, is invisibly present with you.

6. Visa: The Butterfly Effect in Sports

The Visa campaign featuring Italian skier Sofia Goggia is a classic but masterfully executed piece of "hero's journey" storytelling. The director uses parallel editing to link the grandiose with the mundane.

We see how one small step—tapping a card at a terminal to buy gear—triggers a chain of events leading to triumph on the slopes. Visa doesn't try to claim the athlete's victory; instead, it assumes the role of a reliable companion (an enabler). The concept “Everywhere you want to be” transforms from a geographic promise into a mental one: the brand helps ambitious people traverse the path from a simple dream to the top of the podium, making every step of the way seamless.

7. FIGS: The Reality We Usually Keep Quiet About

The boldest and most provocative case in this selection comes from the medical apparel brand FIGS. They went against the golden rule of sports marketing—"show only the beautiful." Instead, they demonstrate X-rays of fractures, scars, and the pain of legendary skier Lindsey Vonn.

This is a deconstruction of the myth of athlete invulnerability. But the main heroes here are not the athletes, but the doctors who put these bodies back together. By showing surgeons and physical therapists in FIGS scrubs, the brand makes a powerful statement: “It takes heart to build bodies that break records.” This evokes immense respect and trust, as the brand honestly shows the price of gold medals and places those who usually remain in the shadows—the medical personnel—on the pedestal.

In 2026, brands are moving away from abstract inspiration toward specific human stories. Successful creative today is one that finds vulnerability, sincerity, or an unobvious angle in the seemingly well-trodden theme of the Olympics.

Want to create a commercial that evokes equally strong emotions in your audience? The Lava Media team knows how to turn ideas into gold. For even more ideas, case studies, and the latest trends from the world of video marketing, follow us on LinkedIn.