The quality of the marketing discourse is a decisive factor in a company s success, meaning that on top of communicating with their consumers, brands need to be relevant to them, adding up to their life projects. In a context where sports brands have significant economic relevance, this study analyzes the different meanings brought by the campaigns of three brands: Adidas, Nike and Under Armour, before and during the 2016 Olympic Games. In other words, this paper aims not only to identify the meanings produced by the brands but also discuss the discursive mechanisms used in their pieces of communication broadcasted in their respective channels on YouTube. The research is based on the theory of cultural branding, focusing on Douglas Holt s work, and the application of discursive semiotics in marketing and branding, emphasizing the contributions of Jean-Marie Floch and Andrea Semprini in this particular field of study. The results of the analysis suggest that these brands explore in their narratives the similarities between famous athletes and their consumers. Moreover, despite the use of different discursive mechanisms, all three brands developed stories about the process of overcoming a situation which, in a mythical construction, reconciles the values of equality and differentiation.