Emotional Hershey's Film Gives Olympians the 'Real Gold Medal' of Happiness
Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Hershey's has launched a campaign that reframes what sport is all about.
Created by The Martin Agency, 'Hershey’s. It’s Your Happy Place' is the chocolate company's first major brand campaign since 2018, and is centred around the joy that its products and sport give to people.
The campaign's first activation, 'Happiness Is the Real Gold', introduces five US Winter Olympic and Paralympic athletes and their families, telling their stories of hard work and perseverance, but also reminding them that their journeys all began because they simply enjoyed their sport.
The hero film is a documentary-style series of interviews, where the athletes -- Paralympic snowboarder Brenna Huckaby, Olympic speed skaters Jordan Stolz and Erin Jackson, Olympic Ice Hockey player Hilary Knight, and Olympic figure skater Jason Brown -- are shown videos of their families, discussing their early days in sport and their pride in their success.
As the emotional athletes are reunited with their families, it all comes back to one thing: that whatever happens at the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games this year -- regardless of winning -- the relatives just want the sportspeople to be happy.
"Milton S. Hershey famously said: 'One is only happy in proportion as he makes others feel happy.' We hope this work would make Milton feel proud," said Alberto Orte, executive creative director at The Martin Agency.
"Most people come to sports interested in what separates winning from losing, not realising that the real gold isn't necessarily in victory, but in the pride and joy you bring to others along the way. This campaign reignites [Milton] Hershey’s original purpose: bringing real happiness to all."
The campaign also includes social cutdowns of the interviews, focused on each individual athlete and their family.
'Happiness Is the Real Gold' is just the start of a year-long celebration of Hershey’s, positioning the 'Kisses' chocolatier as a 'happy place' in cultural moments of joy throughout 2026.
