Scottish Widows to screen first UK 2012 Olympics ads

The Leo Burnett-created Scottish Widows spot, which will screen during ITV1's Champions League coverage on March 4, will make the brand the first UK London 2012 Olympic sponsor to showcase its work for the games.

The 50-second spot features athletes and gymnasts dressed in red, white and black performing choreographed routines by British Olympic gymnasts Alex Jerrom, Tom Coull and Laura Hallett, who morph into model Hayley Hunt, the current face of Scottish Widows.

The ads, which feature Scottish Widows' music and strapline "Preparation is everything", will also screen on March 5 during Channel 4's 'Grand Designs', March 16 on ITV1's 'Dancing on Ice' final, and March 23 for ITV1's 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.

Scottish Widows said it did not want the creative to be "bolted on" to the Olympics brand, but believed it had made the association an intrinsic part of the campaign, which is understood to run until the start of the Beijing Olympics in August.

Mike Hoban, customer and brand marketing director for Scottish Widows, said: "The ads embrace a new creative concept for Scottish Widows and I believe the results are very stylised and sexy. We think they will really grab viewers' attention."

This article was first published on brandrepublic.com