Well before the first athlete arrived in northern Italy, the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics had already delivered its most telling result. NBCUniversal sold out its advertising inventory a full month ahead of the opening ceremony, setting a new Winter Olympics record across both linear television and digital platforms. The achievement, however, was not simply a reflection of strong demand or Olympic prestige. It was the outcome of a deliberate commercial strategy that treated the Games not as an isolated peak, but as the continuation of a much larger narrative that began weeks earlier during Super Bowl 60.
By bundling Olympics inventory directly with the Super Bowl, NBCU ensured that roughly 70-75% of Big Game advertisers would carry their presence into the Winter Games. In doing so, it subtly redefined the Olympics as advertising’s second act, a place where stories already introduced to mass audiences could be extended, deepened, and reinforced rather than restarted from zero.
Nostalgia as a National Language
Among the most visible creative choices was a renewed embrace of nostalgia, particularly narratives tied to national identity. Chevrolet revived its iconic “See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet,” airing a refreshed version during both the Super Bowl pregame and the Olympic opening ceremony. The timing is hardly accidental. With America’s 250th anniversary approaching, the ad functions as more than a brand reminder; it becomes a cultural signal, anchoring optimism and continuity in familiar imagery at a moment when certainty feels scarce.
This appeal to shared memory extended beyond the automotive industry. Comcast leaned into unity, acknowledging everyday rivalries while insisting that international competition collapses those divisions under a single flag. The Olympics, in this framing, are less about medals and more about collective belonging, an idea advertisers are increasingly eager to inhabit.
Where Aspiration Actually Begins
Not every brand chased grandeur or heritage. Some chose to ground Olympic ambition in ordinary life. Walmart focused its campaign on a young girl practicing figure skating at home, falling repeatedly before receiving her first pair of skates. The narrative deliberately avoids the podium, suggesting instead that greatness is born in kitchens, driveways, and local rinks, long before it appears on television.
That same emotional recalibration appeared in Hershey’s decision to surprise Team USA athletes with visits from their parents, reframing gold medals as secondary to emotional support and shared history. Even Airbnb stepped away from competition entirely, highlighting moments of rest and familiarity and positioning itself as a source of comfort rather than spectacle. Together, these campaigns suggest a broader shift: the Olympics are increasingly being used to humanize brands, not elevate them above their audiences.
Franchises That Refuse to Reset
For entertainment and insurance brands, Milano Cortina became an extension of stories already in motion. Disney carried its Super Bowl momentum into the Games, using the Olympic spotlight to reinforce its broader ecosystem strategy rather than introduce a standalone message. The effect is cumulative, allowing recognition and recall to build across events rather than dissipate after a single night.
A similar rhythm defined State Farm’s continued use of familiar characters and humor, as well as Michelob Ultra’s long-running alignment with major sports moments. In each case, the Olympics served not as a creative reset but as another chapter in a brand narrative unfolding over time.
Performance as the Universal Metaphor
If nostalgia and emotion provided the tone, performance supplied the connective tissue. Visa framed Mikaela Shiffrin’s journey as an ongoing act of resilience, avoiding the finality of victory in favor of continuous ascent. Eli Lilly mirrored that logic by emphasizing endurance, testing, and preparation, aligning healthcare innovation with the rigor of elite sport. Even Saatva entered the conversation through recovery, positioning sleep as an invisible but decisive component of high performance.
At the more playful end of the spectrum, Intuit QuickBooks used humor to dramatize everyday stress, imagining the chaos that would follow if the Tooth Fairy disappeared. Beneath the joke sits a familiar truth: modern work already feels Olympic in scale, and brands that promise clarity or relief gain relevance by acknowledging that pressure.
The Systems Behind the Spectacle
As much as the Games celebrate physical excellence, they also rely on infrastructure that is increasingly stepping into the spotlight. Xfinity used its Olympic presence to remind audiences that seamless access, streaming, and connectivity are now inseparable from the viewing experience. In this sense, the Olympics become a proving ground not just for athletes, but for the systems that carry the event into living rooms around the world.
Advertising’s New Arc
Milano Cortina 2026 makes one thing clear: the Winter Olympics are no longer a self-contained advertising moment. Through strategic bundling and narrative continuity, NBCUniversal transformed the Games into the second act of the Super Bowl’s commercial storyline, encouraging brands to think in arcs rather than bursts. Nostalgia, emotional intimacy, humor, and performance now flow across months instead of peaking in a single weekend.
The Olympic flame still burns for just over two weeks, but its advertising impact stretches far longer. In today’s attention economy, the real victory is not winning the moment but sustaining the story.
