How Brands Can Win Big During the 2024 Olympics
The Olympic Games is a global spectacle that captures the world’s attention. For athletes, it is the pinnacle of achievement in sports. For viewers, it’s a thrilling showcase of human potential. And for brands? It’s a golden opportunity to shine on an international stage. Whether you are a multinational corporation or a local business, the Olympics present an opportunity to align your brand with the values of unity and perseverance that the games embody.
However, navigating the Olympic marketing arena requires creativity and a thorough understanding of the rules. From official sponsorships to cheeky non-sponsor ambush tactics, brands can harness the Olympic spirit to elevate their marketing efforts in multiple ways.
We’ll explore how brands of all sizes can go for gold with their marketing during the Olympic season. So, let’s take your starting position and get ready to sprint through the exciting world of Olympic marketing!
TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPICS: MARKETERS IN SESSION
Market Research
Marketing 101, it is important to know your audience. Who do they represent? Passionate fans or casual spectators. Tailored messaging is necessary for every group to achieve maximum impact and reach huge audiences.
Why do people tune in for the Games?
Everyone in the world is aware of the Olympics. For instance, over 50% of older demographics and 54% of those between the ages of 18 and 29 were predicted to watch the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. According to the results of market research, brands should create accurate content and encompass the right tone of voice to reach the targeted demographic. This event offers a rare opportunity to interact with a wide spectrum of audience members at once, therefore inclusivity is crucial in your strategy.
Advocating the Values of the Games
The Olympics represent ideals like excellence, teamwork and perseverance; they are more than just an athletic competition.
Brands should leverage the association that viewers have with the Games by aligning the marketing strategy with these values. It’s about building trust and a sense of shared purpose with your audience by demonstrating how your brand adheres to these principles. For instance, Team USA has a new brand platform, called “One for All” featuring Olympic and Paralympic athletes, highlighting their stories for fans to get better acquainted with the team.
Why brands need to insert values from the Games in their marketing
Building emotional connections and fostering community, this approach not only resonates during the Olympic Games but can create lasting positive associations that benefit your brand long after the torch is extinguished.
Optimise Digital Marketing
Now, the game has evolved with the development of digital media. With the ability to sell in real time, brands can now create interactive campaigns and encourage fan-generated content. With millions glued to their screens, social media has become an Olympic village of its own.
Brands can create real-time content that taps into the excitement of live events. Use popular hashtags, join conversations, and consider platform-specific features like Twitter’s event pages or Instagram Stories to boost engagement.
HOW TO: LEGALLY POST ABOUT THE OLYMPICS
Brands need to know that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have implemented restrictions on social media during the Olympic Games, preventing brands from posting about the Olympics without official approval. In particular, this is regarding the brands that officially sponsor athletes during the games. Official Sponsor brands are required to pay millions and millions of dollars for these rights. Rightfully, they would feel blindsided when competitors sneak in what they view as “hands-off” content that the official sponsors paid for.
Why the Olympic social media guidelines are important
For brands out there, avoid getting sued and follow this guide and loopholes to post about The 2024 Olympics.
Note that brands cannot include any Olympic trademarked words or phrases, using terms that reference the location of the Olympics is forbidden, using hashtags with Olympics trademarks, featuring Olympic athletes in social posts and even wishing Olympic athletes good luck is not encouraged for brands to do. It is a shock, I know, and you may be asking, what other ways can businesses use the platform to connect with the games?
Not to worry, with less than a week until the opening ceremony of the Olympics, TikTok is preparing for the high viewership it will attract and offers brands a natural space to join and contribute to the conversation.
“The broad appeal of the moment extends to various interests and industries beyond sports, including Beauty & Makeup, Fashion, and Travel. This rich tapestry of communities, known as CommunityToks, provides brands with unique opportunities to target, reach and engage diverse audiences with relevant, timely content.”
To post about The Olympics, brands should be creative and pay close attention to the games. A successful marketer can take the gold by clearing these restraints and conveying their brand’s message.
AMBUSH TACTICS FOR NON-SPONSORS
For brands that aren’t official Olympic sponsors, the challenge lies in capturing the spirit of the Games without crossing legal boundaries. This is where creative marketing truly shines. Non-sponsors can focus on timing campaigns to coincide with the Games without direct references.
How can brands find loopholes to promote legally
Get Your Creative Juices Flowing
To optimise impact during this Olympics season, brands need to be thinking outside the box. Though you can’t create material with exact phrases and pictures, what you can do is pay close attention to the games for any slips and flubs before the IOC trademarks those moments. Gather your team, be imaginative and create something out of those moments. You can also opt for using semi-related items like flags and motivational sports quotes associated with the sport. In the recent Olympic trials, ESPN highlighted the robot car being used at the trials as the MVP and shared it on their TikTok account. When done correctly, this is a smart approach to join the debate without drawing fury from those in authority.
Create a Campaign
Even with the 2015 Olympics’ Rule 40 exemptions, unofficial sponsors still have a difficult time effectively marketing their athletes during the blackout period. However, former athletes are not burdened with the same baggage. Remember, Olympic content is not only limited to sports. It encompasses a wide range of topics to cover that can align with your company’s product or services.
Maybe you know someone who used to be an athlete locally? Why not collaborate and attempt to use their story and resonance in your advertising campaigns? The infamous oriental tea brand Chagee played their cards right by choosing Datuk Wira Dr. Lee Chong Wei as the local ambassador for their rebrand back in 2022. Chagee Malaysia notes, “We are confident that Datuk Wira Dr. Lee Chong Wei is the perfect fit for our brand as we share similar values such as resilience, strength, determination, and passion.”
As you move forward, consider the sports legends in your area. Sometimes the best way to reach new heights is to stay grounded in the local community.
1996: Gold Shoes for Gold Marketing
If we look closely, there are a few successful marketing tactics from the past Olympics. Can you recall when Nike sponsored the 1996 Olympics? Well, they didn’t, Reebok did. However, what you can remember is Michael Johnson’s gold Nike shoes more than Reebok’s official sponsorship. Nike initiated what is likely the most intense and prolonged ambush marketing effort in Olympic history. Reebok, an IOC partner, suffered as a result, reportedly paying $50 million for sponsorship rights.
How to create an unforgettable marketing strategy
The famous incident included US short-distance runner Michael Johnson winning the final race while donning a pair of special gold Nike sneakers. Millions of prospective customers watched the race, giving gold to Nike’s advertising and a fast way to increase brand awareness.
The long-awaited day is upon us. As you plan your Olympic-inspired marketing strategies, keep in mind that successful Olympic marketing isn’t just about visibility during the Games. It’s about creating lasting associations between your brand and the positive values the Olympics represent. By doing so, brands can forge stronger connections with audiences that endure long after the closing ceremony.
So, as the torch is lit and the world turns its eyes to the greatest sporting spectacle on Earth, ask yourself: How will your brand rise to the Olympic challenge? Connect with us at Demojo Communication today and create a winning strategy for your brand.