Odido Celebrates Jutta Leerdam’s Courageous Path to Milano Cortina 2026

What does unconditional support really look like at the highest level of sport? In the lead-up to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Dutch telecom brand Odido, official partner of TeamNL, and TBWA\NEBOKO have answered that question with a campaign starring speed skating icon Jutta Leerdam.

At the centre of the story is a defining decision. Leerdam, one of the Netherlands’ most successful athletes, has chosen to pursue her Olympic journey on her own terms. Instead of following the traditional route, she is continuing independently with a small, carefully selected team she fully believes in, including former coach Kosta Poltavets.

It is a choice that goes against convention, but one Leerdam sees as necessary to unlock her full potential. And it is exactly that conviction that Odido is putting in the spotlight.

Following Odido’s previous Olympic campaigns featuring Sifan Hassan and Paralympian Joel de Jong, which focused on the people behind an athlete’s success, Odido’s latest film shifts the perspective once again. This time, the message is about the courage to choose a different path and the unwavering support required to make that possible.

​Leo Hensen, director of marketing and communications at Odido, said, “She chose her own route in order to surround herself with the right people. Sometimes you have to step off the beaten track to keep moving forward. People who dare to make a decision like that deserve maximum support. From us, and from the whole country. Especially because by doing so, she helps clear the path for the next generation.”

The film keeps Leerdam at its centre, but avoids turning her into an untouchable figure. Instead, it offers a rare and intimate portrait through never-before-seen archive footage, revealing the human side behind elite performance and what it takes to commit everything to one singular goal.

That story is narrated by Leerdam’s father, her biggest supporter since day one. In his voice, the campaign brings a different kind of truth to the screen: not the sound of victory, but the emotional reality of what it means to stand behind someone when the outcome is uncertain, the pressure is constant, and the dream is everything.

​Darre van Dijk, chief creative officer at TBWA\NEBOKO, said, “Unconditional support is rarely the headline, but it’s always the foundation. Jutta’s father has been that foundation throughout her journey. We captured that emotion by having him tell the story himself, speaking directly to Jutta. In doing so, it makes us all part of the feeling of unconditional support.”

Klapwanten: making support physical

Odido is also extending the campaign beyond the film with Klapwanten, bright orange 'clap mittens' designed to keep supporters warm while turning applause into something athletes can literally hear and feel. The fan item is designed to translate unconditional support from a message into a real-world gesture.