Omega London 2012 Olympic Games TV Commercial – What’s the Song?(STONES)
YouTube
The commercial relies heavily on Keith Richards‘ opening guitar lick from the song, which is used repetitively to as a montage of athletes preparing for their big moments plays in the background.
You’ve heard the lick so many times it’s inevitably emblazoned upon your brain, but it’s possible you’ve never heard it like this.
Frequent Rolling Stones producer Don Was is responsible for the version of ‘Start Me Up’ that you hear in the commercial. His remix was made specifically for the Omega promo, and after the quick-hitting series of images of athletes, the song as we know it finally kicks in.
The usage of the song fits, as Omega is the Official Timekeeper for the 2012 Olympic Ceremony. After the series of Olympians and their warm-up routines, we catch a glimpse of the Omega watch ticking off the seconds. Omega has a long-running history with the Olympics, with the 2012 summer event marking their 25th time as the ffficial timekeeper. In fact, they were there in 1948, the last time the games were held in London.
For those who don’t know their future Olympic heroes yet, the commercial provides an opportunity. It features Chinese diver Qiu Bo, U.S. swimmer Natalie Coughlin, British heptathlete Jessica Ennis, U.S. sprinter Tyson Gay, South African swimmer Chad Le Clos, and U.S. pole vaulter Jenn Suhr.
