Sanofi has reached a critical milestone in its push to change how it is seen by the wider world. With the world’s media descending on Paris for the Olympics, the French drugmaker is ramping up for the “biggest corporate activation” in its history.
Senior Sanofi management began discussing whether to sponsor the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2020. The timing felt right, with Josep Catllà, Sanofi’s head of corporate affairs, noting earlier this year that the games fell at a point in the transformation plan when the new-look organization would be taking shape. Four years on, the moment of truth has arrived.
Sanofi is running its “Igniting Potential” campaign at the games. The initiative, which will include classic and digital public display campaigns in metro and train stations in Paris, is drawing parallels between its scientists and athletes. One Sanofi scientist quoted in the campaign said “I’ve learned to push myself beyond my limits, like an athlete has to in order to win gold.”
The drugmaker is also running press inserts in the games’ official program and several French media, as well as digital activations before and during the event. Sanofi is putting its employees at the heart of the campaign, giving them starring roles in its digital assets as it seeks to showcase its science.
“It's a great way to raise awareness of the Sanofi brand and to present ourselves as a company that appeals to young talent,” a Sanofi spokesperson said.
Sanofi will also be active at the Paralympics, which start in late August. Athletes affected by meningitis will carry a flag that Sanofi helped create to raise awareness of the disease. Three advocates from Team Sanofi will take over several locations in Paris in the first week of the Paralympics, leading to a metro takeover station starting Sept. 4. Sanofi said the initiative is the biggest-ever awareness campaign against meningitis.