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Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles shocked fans and onlookers when she paused her celebrated gymnastics career and withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Games, citing stress and burnout. Her decision was a significant moment that sparked a global conversation about mental health and athleticism.
Now the world-renowned gymnast has returned to the sport, with her sights set on the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Biles reflects on her journey and the importance of both physical and mental wellbeing in a powerful ad from Olympics sponsor Powerade.
“The Vault” follows Biles as she confronts the pressures and expectations of being a professional athlete. Amid a backdrop of media commentary, Biles tunes out the noise and focuses on practicing her routine.
In a notable departure from the typical high-octane ads for the Olympics and other big sporting events, Powerade’s film is quiet and slower paced, showing a human side of one of the world’s most recognizable athletes.
As Biles returns to the mat, her own voice overtakes the jumbled sounds of commentators.
“I felt broken, that’s why I decided to take a pause,” she says. “I was only celebrated for my wins, and now it’s like for being a human, for being vulnerable.”
She moves in slow motion, while dreamlike sequences represent elements of her career and life, including intimate scenes of her sharing pizza with her family and playing with her dogs.
The ad ends with Biles landing on the mat, as a young admirer watches from the stands. The brand’s tagline reads: “Pause Is Power.”
Challenging sports culture
Powerade’s goal with the campaign is “to support athletes’ mental health and physical wellbeing,” both of which the Coca-Cola brand has championed since the launch of its “Pause Is Power” platform in 2022, Matrona Filippou, president, global category, hydration, sports, coffee and tea, told ADWEEK.
“We’re continuing to challenge the ‘win at all costs’ mentality associated with modern sports culture and showcase the benefits of taking deliberate pauses,” Filippou explained.
Back in 2021, Powerade was in the midst of developing its platform when Biles announced that she was stepping away from gymnastics. Her move inspired the brand’s direction.
“When we saw what Simone did, we wanted to partner with her,” said Filippou. “She’s the perfect example of what this could look like.”
