On the eve of the 2012 London Olympics, Nike has launched a powerful ambush ad which skirts Olympic restrictions by showing locations around the world also named London and steals the limelight from offical sportswear sponsor Adidas.

The emotive ad shows weekend sportsman, children and amateurs avidly participating in different sports to the subliminal message that greatness isn’t reserved to the chosen few and the bright lights of the Olympics. “The truth is greatness is for all of us,” the voiceover says. “Greatness is not in one special place and it is not in one special person. Greatness is where ever somebody is trying to find it.”

The ad titled ‘Find your greatness’, is currently running as a rich-media billboard ad on YouTube’s home page. It shows signs of places named London from around the world, supported by the message, “Greatness isn’t reserved for the chosen few in one special city, it can also be found London, Ohio, and London, Norway, and East London, South Africa, and Little London, Jamaica, and Small London, Nigeria and the London Hotel and London Road.”

With the Games set to kick off in London on Saturday, local time, Nike’s campaign looks poised to get around rules designed to prevent non-sponsors piggy-backing on Olympic fever with the clever execution, and steal the thunder from offical sportswear sponsor Adidas.

Nike would not reveal how much it was spending on the campaign, which will run in 25 countries, and be backed by a website integrating with Nike+ apps and products and a Twitter marketing push using the hashtag #findgreatness, The Guardian reports.

Attempting to distance the sports giant’s campaign from the Olympics, Nike’s brand chief Greg Hoffman was quoted as saying, “The idea is to simply inspire and energise everyday athletes everywhere and to celebrate their achievements, participate and enjoy the thrill of achieving in sport at their own level.”

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