Dan & Dave
Encyclopedia
Dan & Dave was an advertising
and merchandising
campaign by American shoe
manufacturer Reebok
during the build-up to the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
. The promotion was meant to generate excitement and support for the Olympic competition between American decathletes
Dan O'Brien
and Dave Johnson
. However, the campaign had to be modified when O'Brien failed to qualify for the Olympics.
. O'Brien and Johnson, though rivals, were favored to win a medal in Barcelona, and Reebok, which had recently lost U.S. market share to Nike
, was hoping to rebound with their endorsement. The television spots featured the same general message: "Who will be the world's greatest athlete – Dan or Dave? To be settled in Barcelona."
Reebok's plan went awry five weeks before the Games began, when O'Brien failed to qualify for the Olympics by missing the pole vault
during Olympic trials in New Orleans. This resulted in Reebok modifying the television spots to feature Dan cheering Dave on.
– into household names in the United States. The campaign led to both receiving endorsements from other companies, including O'Brien with Nike in 1993. Despite a foot injury, Johnson won a bronze medal in Barcelona; he retired from competition shortly after the Games. O'Brien eventually won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta. Both were inducted to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
together in 2005.
The "Dan & Dave" idea was parodied by Ryder Trucks
with both athletes shown participating in a mock biathlon
where they started a foot race and continued in a race in rental trucks. In the ads O'Brien easily completes his reservation at Ryder and continues on in a truck, while a frustrated Johnson is held up at a second-rate truck service.
Advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
and merchandising
Merchandising
Merchandising is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity. In the broadest sense, merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products to a retail consumer...
campaign by American shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
manufacturer Reebok
Reebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
during the build-up to the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. The promotion was meant to generate excitement and support for the Olympic competition between American decathletes
Decathlon
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
Dan O'Brien
Dan O'Brien
Daniel Dion O'Brien is a former American decathlete. He was deemed one of the best decathlon athletes of the 1990s, winning an Olympic gold medal after winning three consecutive world titles....
and Dave Johnson
Dave Johnson (athlete)
David Allen Johnson is a former Olympic decathlete from the United States. A native of North Dakota, he grew up in Montana and Oregon. He was part of Reebok's "Dan & Dave" advertising campaign leading up to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, where he won a bronze medal in the decathlon...
. However, the campaign had to be modified when O'Brien failed to qualify for the Olympics.
History
The campaign began with television commercials aired during Super Bowl XXVISuper Bowl XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI was an American football game played on January 26, 1992 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota to decide the National Football League champion following the 1991 regular season...
. O'Brien and Johnson, though rivals, were favored to win a medal in Barcelona, and Reebok, which had recently lost U.S. market share to Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, was hoping to rebound with their endorsement. The television spots featured the same general message: "Who will be the world's greatest athlete – Dan or Dave? To be settled in Barcelona."
Reebok's plan went awry five weeks before the Games began, when O'Brien failed to qualify for the Olympics by missing the pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
during Olympic trials in New Orleans. This resulted in Reebok modifying the television spots to feature Dan cheering Dave on.
Aftermath
"Dan & Dave" made O'Brien and Johnson – both unknowns outside the world of track and fieldTrack and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
– into household names in the United States. The campaign led to both receiving endorsements from other companies, including O'Brien with Nike in 1993. Despite a foot injury, Johnson won a bronze medal in Barcelona; he retired from competition shortly after the Games. O'Brien eventually won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta. Both were inducted to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame honors Oregon athletes, teams, coaches, and others who have made a significant contribution to sports in Oregon. The first class was inducted in 1980, with new inductees added in the fall...
together in 2005.
The "Dan & Dave" idea was parodied by Ryder Trucks
Ryder
Ryder System, Inc. , or Ryder, is an American-based provider of transportation and supply chain management products, and is especially known for its fleet of rental trucks. Ryder specializes in fleet management, supply chain management and dedicated contracted carriage. Ryder operates in North...
with both athletes shown participating in a mock biathlon
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
where they started a foot race and continued in a race in rental trucks. In the ads O'Brien easily completes his reservation at Ryder and continues on in a truck, while a frustrated Johnson is held up at a second-rate truck service.