Intel enlist Michael Phelps for new ad, and hint at exciting times ahead for sport

October 13, 2016 Chris McMullan

Next Monday, look out for a new partnership between sport and technology, as Michael Phelps teams up with Intel.

On Monday 17th October, Intel will launch their partnership with 28-time Olympic medalist Phelps across Intel’s owned sites and on social media. The campaign will feature two 30 second commercials starring Phelps and actor Jim Parsons (you know, Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory), who has already appeared in Intel ads in the United States.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62Ypk4IgnVI

This time, Intel are looking to break into the sporting world by using the ‘world’s fastest swimmer’ to market their newer and faster computer processors.

The ads centre around the #PhelpsFace craze: during the Rio 2016 Olympics, Michael Phelps could be seen pulling an intense and terrifying face before his 200m butterfly semi final and the image went viral.

tfw you learn what cupping is pic.twitter.com/R9nMDyTr29

— Kevin O'Keeffe (@kevinpokeeffe) August 9, 2016

Intel are using Phelps’ disgusted face to mirror the feelings of those of us still using old and slow laptops. So far, so ordinary – if entertaining.

Warning: Fast swimmers on slow PCs may lead to #PhelpsFace.
Upgrade to a new PC, powered by Intel. Upgrade https://t.co/8N4xGXADvH pic.twitter.com/qilybNBn13

— Intel (@intel) October 13, 2016

But the interesting take is from Intel’s Chief Marketing Officer, Steve Fund, who said, “If you look at the past year, we’ve been really trying to embed our brand and technology into sport… We’ve done integrations in the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Game, NBA Playoffs and X Games.”

“We’re really trying to infuse our technology into the sports experience. We think the digitisation of sports is a major trend,” he added.

Given that the digitalisation of sport that Fund is talking about seems to be progressing by the day, it makes sense for a brand like Intel – with its power and its prestige – to get in on the action.

At the moment, it just looks like a marketing campaign based on the obvious link between swimming speed and computing speed, but watch this space for more developments. If Intel is serious about getting involved in the ‘digitalisation of sport’ then there could be exciting times ahead for technological advancements in our favourite sports.