Team Canada

COC unveils brand campaign for 2016 Rio Olympics

TORONTO – After a strong performance at the Winter Olympics, the Canadian Olympic Committee is sticking with a wintry theme for its Rio 2016 brand campaign.

The COC launched the “Ice In Our Veins” campaign Wednesday morning with the Summer Olympics just 100 days away. Tennis star Milos Raonic, sprinter Justyn Warner and diver Jennifer Abel are some of the athletes included in the spots, which were shot on a beach along Georgian Bay.

The campaign, which includes a 60-second, 30-second and series of 10-second spots, was unveiled on the Canadian team’s digital channels and via athletes’ social media channels.

With a narrator providing a dramatic reading and a tense sound bed running underneath, athletes can be seen walking and posing on the beach. A fire and ice theme runs throughout the spot, designed to highlight that the icy landscape helps strengthen will and determination.

“We want to inspire Canadians, our athletes, our partners,” said COC chief marketing officer Derek Kent. “We want people to rally behind Team Canada. They work so hard behind the scenes, out of the spotlight in between the Games.

“It’s time to start telling the athletes’ stories and that’s what this campaign does.”

The COC used a “We Are Winter” campaign for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Canada finished fourth in the overall standings with 25 medals (10 gold, 10 silver, five bronze).

Canada won just one gold medal at the 2012 London Games and finished with 18 medals overall (five silver, 12 bronze).

A wider campaign launch is scheduled for July 1. The Rio Olympics begin Aug. 5.

Golf returns to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1904 in Rio. Players on both the men’s and women’s side of the game will be fighting for one of 60 spots in their respective fields.

Players will compete for their country in a 72-hole individual stroke play competition. In the event of a tie for first, second or third place, a play-off or multiple playoffs shall be conducted to determine the gold, silver and bronze medal.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has restricted the International Golf Federation (IGF) to an Olympic field of 60 players. The Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings will be used to determine the Olympics golf rankings. The top 15 world-ranked players will be eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players from a given country. Beyond the top 15, players will be eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15. The qualification period ends July 11, 2016.