It’s that time again that comes every four years, when brands become sponsors to the biggest sporting festival on Earth and jumping behind athletes as support to hitchhike a ride to a more positive brand identity. And for the most part, it usually works. Unless you happen to be one of the most hated company of environmentalists and still recovering from the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmFCGmQ4c0g

The idea of having athletes race through stopped traffic, wheat fields, a museum, and on a beach lightly relates to the fuel of locomotion. The cinematography is well shot like any other typical sport ad. The main goal seems to be another attempt to repair the PR with consumers by jumping on the Olympics bandwagon of positive energy.

Despite the good intentions of BP’s “Fueling the Future” campaign, it is going to take more work to win over the protesters and keep them from vandalizing your billboards. There is no easy or quick fix for infamy but at least it’s another step forward to getting back on the good side of the public.