100 days to Rio: Canada unveils ‘Ice In Our Veins’ campaign

Canada's Simon Whitfield carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony at the 2012 Summer Olympics. (Eric Gay/AP)

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."

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