Other brands were less forthcoming with congratulatory messages – perhaps deterred by talk of the IOC being more vigilant this year in enforcing Rule 40, which is designed to protect sponsor privileges.
Team GB partner Müller has been regularly chiming in with its #InTeamGBsCorner strapline and hashtag. After Saturday’s impressive day, the dairy producer shared Team GB’s photo montage of the event, and has been congratulating individual athletes.
Team GB partner, the supermarket chain Aldi, has gone pun-tastic on Twitter:
Make a racket for @TeamGB athlete @andy_murray! Congrats on your #Gold :) #TotallyRio #GBR pic.twitter.com/8lJL7SVt2X
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) August 15, 2016
#GOLD for @TeamGB's @Mo_Farah! He kept on mo-ving, won the 10,000 metres & made history! #OneMoGold #TotallyRio #GBR pic.twitter.com/D8UbXQTVEr
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) August 14, 2016
Nissan reused content from its tongue-in-cheek brand campaign.
Best of luck in the finals today @MaxWhitlock1. We can't wait to see you do this. #Rio2016 #DoItForUs pic.twitter.com/kNxm4bu5LQ
— NissanUK (@NissanUK) August 14, 2016
Adidas, which provides the Team GB kit, used images of winning athletes:
Samsung, an Olympic sponsor whose Rugby World Cup 'School of Rugby' campaign has been repurposed for the Olympics, has been referenced by its celebrity ambassador, the comic Jack Whitehall:
Get in!! @OfficialWIGGINS and @Helenglovergb in the same day. I don't want to take all the credit. But #SchoolOfRio clearly worked. #samsung
— Jack Whitehall (@jackwhitehall) August 12, 2016
Fitness First, the gym chain and Team GB partner, has been pumping iron as it produces graphics aplenty for winners – with the chance to win a competition by retweeting its posts:
Congratulations @TeamGB on winning the men's team pursuit #Gold! RT to win #WinTogether https://t.co/0eFh62fMmU pic.twitter.com/ZUcD1yNtEC
— Fitness First UK (@FitnessFirstUK) August 13, 2016
Non-partner brands have joined the fun in places, although those with global social channels avoided celebrating the victories of a particular nation. They have also been less likely to specifically mention the Olympics.
Jumping into the weekend pic.twitter.com/ItVu7w56OS
— Toblerone (@Toblerone) August 12, 2016
Bolton Council congratulated its local golden boy, the cyclist Jason Kenny, while sport specialist Loughborough University has been keeping track of its alumni:
Sir Jason Kenny anyone? #nightfolks ??
— Bolton Council (@boltoncouncil) August 14, 2016
Finally, former UKIP strategist and now journalist Raheem Kassam used Team GB's success to make a point about Brexit, with his message retweeted by 'leave' campaign group Leave.EU:
But I thought we weren't BIG enough or STRONG enough to "go it alone" against the world!?? #Rio2016 #brexit pic.twitter.com/Eo2Qcg5lzT
— Raheem Kassam (@RaheemKassam) August 14, 2016
