Jamaica Unveils TV Ad Campaign Starring “World’s Fastest Man”

The Jamaica Tourist Board secured the “World’s Fastest Man,” Usain Bolt, to give a tour of Jamaica for the next installment of the destination’s “Once You Go, You Know” TV advertising campaign. Three new commercials were created, featuring Bolt sprinting through Jamaica accompanied by the famous Bob Marley anthem, “One Love,” and stopping to admire some of Jamaica’s famous landmarks, as well as the people of Jamaica emulating their sports hero.

The new TV spots launch Feb. 8 on CNN, MSNBC, ESPN, National Geographic Channel and various other stations across the U.S. The commercials were created by the Jamaica Tourist Board’s advertising agency of record Draftfcb and were directed by Jorn Haagen.

The first commercial spot, “Stop,” takes Bolt through a day of long-distance training in Jamaica. However, each time he gets up to speed, another picturesque landmark or vista stops him (and the music) in his tracks, finally causing him to say, “On any other island, I’d probably be a marathon runner.”

A second spot, “Speed,” hones in on the fact that Bolt is “the world’s fastest tour guide” as he sprints from one end of the island to the other at an ever-increasing pace. The faster he goes, the faster the soundtrack goes. To round out the series, “Pose” captures the enthusiastic people of Jamaica in their homes, schools and jobs, all of them emulating Bolt by doing his iconic victory pose.