"Pause is Power"

17 March 2022

90s

Stop and start.

Thanks to athletes like Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, and Ben Stokes, mental health in sport is no longer an afterthought. As a result, many brands that once promoted victory at all costs have changed tack.

The latest to do so are Powerade, who encourage viewers to pause whenever the enjoyment has gone. Even football manager Antonio Conte tells his players to unwind—perhaps the Italian taskmaster is cuddlier than we thought.

He also participates in a knitting lesson led by Tom Daley, which is one of the more peculiar sights in an already strange year. It's also inspired casting as British warmth meets Italian intensity with, erm, "gorgeous" results.

However, it's Biles who figures the most throughout, whether she's reassuring a worried gymnast or—in a lovely nod to her Olympic legacy—having goats painted on her nails. The result is a fun take on a worthy topic that others will doubtless expand on.

USA

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