USA TODAY, part of Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), announced the winners of the inaugural USA TODAY Ad Meter Brand Spotlight: Olympics Edition. With all eyes on the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, France, brands tapped into the fanfare with exciting, emotional advertisements akin to the Super Bowl, celebrating the world’s best athletes, as well as the people and products that have supported them. Following the record-breaking viewership of the games, from swimming to gymnastics, rugby, basketball and more, USA TODAY shifted from advertising’s biggest stage at the Super Bowl to spotlight the Olympics.

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Following the closing ceremony, USA TODAY’s editorial team selected three brands that carried the advertising torch during the Olympics for the first-ever special edition of Ad Meter. The podium, awarded by the 2024 USA TODAY Ad Meter editorial panelists, stands as:

Gold – Nike: “Winning Isn’t for Everyone | Am I a Bad Person”

Silver – DICK’S Sporting Goods: “Big Moments”

Bronze – Volkswagen: “Water Girl”

Nike took home the gold medal for creativity in pursuit of advertising excellence with “Winning Isn’t for Everyone | Am I a Bad Person.” Legendary actor Willem Dafoe lends his voice as the soundtrack to a visually compelling spot highlighted by Olympians, Paralympians and iconic athletes, including basketball stars Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ixhelt Gonzalez and A’ja Wilson, footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé, fencer Bebe Vio, track and field sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson and tennis champions Serena Williams and Zheng Qinwen among many others.

“During the two-week international competition, our editorial team highlighted the athletic advertisements that have become synonymous with the Games,” said USA TODAY Ad Meter Editor Rick Suter. “Congratulations to Nike for coming out on top to win the gold.”

Nike strives to bring innovation and inspiration to every athlete in the world, noting that if you have a body, you are an athlete. The golden winning spot highlights Nike’s mission to do everything possible to expand human potential and show what it takes to win from the best athletes in the world.

To read more about the 2024 Summer Olympics Ad Meter Brand Spotlight, visit: https://admeter.usatoday.com.

ABOUT USA TODAY

Since its introduction in 1982, USA TODAY has been a cornerstone of the national media landscape under its recognizable and respected brand. It also serves as the foundation for our newsroom network which allows for content sharing capabilities across our local and national markets. Through USA TODAY, we deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Across our digital platforms we reach an audience of approximately 79 million unique visitors each month (based on December 2023 Comscore Media Metrix®).

ABOUT GANNETT

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. We endeavor to deliver essential content, marketing solutions, and experiences for curated audiences, advertisers, consumers, and stakeholders by leveraging our diverse teams and suite of products to enrich the local communities and businesses we serve. Our current portfolio of trusted media brands includes the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, uses innovation and software to enable small and medium-sized businesses to grow, and USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures, our events division, creates impactful consumer engagements, promotions, and races.

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