The best and most renowned gymnast in the world today returns to the mats and resumes her career, with her sights set on the Paris Olympics. In this commercial, she does so while reflecting on her career and the importance of physical and mental well-being in a powerful ad for the Olympics sponsor, Powerade.
Let's remember that Biles, an Olympic gold medalist, had to take a break from her illustrious sporting career by withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This decision surprised fans and spectators alike, but the reason for her withdrawal surprised them even more: it was for mental health reasons.
This situation marked a turning point and sparked a global conversation about mental health in the world of sports.
What is the gymnast commercial about?
"The Vault," under the slogan #PauseIsPower, follows Biles as she deals with the pressures and expectations of being a professional athlete. Amidst comments from the media and the public, Simone Biles silences the noise and focuses on her training routine, because "sometimes, taking a pause is the most powerful thing you can do."
This commercial goes beyond the Olympic Games to be held in just a few weeks. We are used to sports commercials being fast-paced.
We see athletes giving their all at the highest level of performance, training hard, sweating, tired but motivated to keep going without rest. Powerade, in this case, has wanted to break away from this trend and show that sometimes it is necessary to stop in order to continue giving our best.
In this story, Biles wants to show the human side of high-performance sport, and, in this case, her own. The story begins with Biles' return to the mats, where she manages to overcome the voices and comments from outside.
His movements are in slow motion because, as they happen, sequences from his career and personal life (from family gatherings to playing with his French bulldogs) flash by.
The commercial ends with Biles landing on the mat, while a young admirer watches her from the stands.
"I felt broken, so I decided to take a break," says Simone. "I was only celebrated for my victories, and now also for being human, for being vulnerable."
Powerade wants to build a legacy based on mental health, taking into account the example of the gymnast.
When Coca-Cola launched Powerade in 1987, this new product became the first official sports drink of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, all this despite its long history as a partner in the Olympics. In 2021, following Simone Biles' announcement of her retirement, Powerade decided to take a different approach and focus on performance and mental well-being.
For the Paris Olympics, the brand will highlight the personal stories of many of the international athletes they work with. This list of athletes is called 'Team Powerade' and includes sports stars such as Chilean swimmer Alberto Abarza, New Zealand soccer star CJ Bott, and French cyclist Mathilde Gros.
The emotional impact of this commercial is enormous, as it shows us the human side of the gymnast, with a sequence of images from her personal life alternating with slow-motion shots of her performing her exercises.
Throughout the piece, we hear the athlete's voiceover: I felt broken, so I decided to take a break. I was only celebrated for my victories, and now also for being human, for being vulnerable.
The brand is thus launching a series of personal stories from many athletes with their sights set on the Paris Olympics."Team Powerade" is the name of the initiative that will bring together stars such as Chilean swimmer Alberto Abarza, New Zealand soccer star CJ Bott, and French cyclist Mathilde Gros.
Gymnast Simone Biles
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