"Winter Olympics 2022"

22 January 2022

40s

Ice, ice baby.

This is a gloriously simple conceit from BBC Creative, and it's been delivered with beautiful elegance by BlinkInk's Balázs Simon. It's understated compared with the kind of song and dance we're used to when an Olympics is in the offing, and that seems a wise choice in view of the ambiguities created by the Chinese hosting of the Games at a time when their human rights record is once again in the spotlight.

The animated action switches between two settings. The first is a cube of ice which is used to illustrate several of the sports which will be thrilling those who watch when the Games begin in less than a fortnight. The second is a beautifully rendered snowscape with sparkling crystals that make it a visceral experience just to watch it.

Politics is an inevitable component of sport these days, and the Olympics provides an opportunity for all kinds of views to be expressed. Marketing the event against this background requires a very delicate touch, and everyone involved here has risen to the challenge.

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