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August 2, 2024
Hyundai is celebrating the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with the release of ‘It’s OK,’ an ad campaign highlighting the importance of finding joy in your sports journey, even if that means taking a break or trying something new. Hyundai Motor America is the presenting sponsor of the USA women’s soccer team in the Games.
“As the world gathers to watch a small fraction of elite athletes compete for gold, the obvious brand message would be to talk about the grit, determination and teamwork needed to win. But it’s a long journey from youth sport to gold medalist and for many kids the passion doesn’t match pressures,” said Jason Sperling, CEO of INNOCEAN USA, which collaborated with Hyundai on the campaign. “We wanted to use this moment to remind parents that kids need to find joy in their sports journeys, even if it means taking a break or pivoting to something else.”
According to a January 2024 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) paper, about 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13. Additionally, nearly 1 in 10 young athletes experience burnout and 35% experience overtraining. The report states, “discontinuation of sports during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of adolescents in the United States who fail to meet physical activity recommendations.”
The ad takes a serious tone, showing parents and kids having candid conversations about taking breaks in support of mental health and personal enjoyment.
“For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” said Kody Moffat, the division chief of pediatric sports medicine at Children’s Nebraska. The paper details how the “professionalization of youth sports” is considered responsible for the high volumes of pressure that can lead to overuse injury, overtraining and burnout in young athletes and kids.
The report also includes advice for parents on how to manage these challenges in youth sports and recommends that young athletes participate in no more than one sport per day. It recommends parents and coaches measure success in ways beyond just winning and losing, noting it should be based on participation and effort instead. The researchers also advise at least one day of rest per week and two to three months off from each sport per year.
The ‘It’s OK’ ad focuses on Hyundai’s brand campaign of ‘There’s Joy in Every Journey’ – an extension of its ‘It’s Your Journey’ brand. The ad is featured in 60- and 30-second spots throughout the Games, primarily during USA women’s soccer matches. It is also showing across digital and social channels. The company is extending its sports-themed content with an additional campaign, ‘It’s Not a Sport’ on social media, which highlights non-traditional sports like surfing and skateboarding.
Source: USA Today
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