The Olympic Games is one of the world’s most iconic sporting spectacles. And, for competing athletes, an Olympic medal is one of the sporting world’s greatest accolades.
For the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, Paris takes center stage. And, with over 10,000 athletes from 196 nations taking part, it is embracing the lack of restrictions that posed a challenge for the Tokyo games in 2020.
Post-pandemic, the world is well and truly open and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is widespread, meaning that brands are taking their Olympic marketing efforts up a notch.
To get in on the action, we’re going to explore this year’s games from a marketing perspective, honing in on the trends and initiatives expected to keep the torch burning bright.
On your marks. Get set. Go!
Olympic marketing in a post-pandemic age
With a proposed budget that exceeds €6.8 billion, this year’s games are more expensive than their predecessors – making them the most costly event to date.
The Paris organizing committee also has big intentions – vowing to make Paris the greenest Games in Olympic history, with half the carbon footprint of London 2012 and Rio 2016. Initiatives to achieve this include tables made out of shuttlecocks, plant-based menus, and cardboard beds, reported the BBC.
However, there are challenges. With a potential threat of cybersecurity issues as well as thousands of in-person participants to consider, Paris has had to spend more to ensure the event runs as smoothly and safely as possible.
What to expect from marketers at the 2024 Olympics
1. Inclusive and emotive storytelling takes center stage
With so much economic and social unrest, consumers are more likely to respond to emotive marketing than ever. By leveraging an ever-expanding choice of digital channels and focusing on strong storytelling, a wealth of brands are going for marketing gold at this year’s games.
With environmental concerns, social issues, and gender equality on the agenda, we expect to see brands and sponsors (including Coca-Cola, Omega, and the BBC) stepping up their game when it comes to building meaningful narratives that make a deeper impact than hollow sales messaging or snappy ad slogans.
Nike, for example, has collaborated with the Olympic Refuge Foundation to provide uniforms for the Refugee Olympic Team and support the refugee community in Paris. This ‘Watch Where We’re Going’ video offers fresh perspectives on the refugee athletes competing at the games.
Sharp, punchy, and powerful, this video-based campaign zeroes in on the hardships and stigma that refugee athletes face.
In addition to showcasing the challenges faced by refugee Olympians, Nike succeeds in capturing the sheer grit, determination, and talent of athletes like boxer Cindy Ngamba – offering its audience a narrative of hope and success in the face of adversity.
Nike’s high-profile collaboration with Jacquemus is also set to turn heads at this year’s games. By developing a range of unisex apparel, the two powerhouse brands are inspiring the belief that sport transcends performance alone and is a form of self-expression as well as style.
Here’s an example of the campaign featuring the American track and field athlete, Sha’Carri Richardson.
Interestingly, brands are hiring more female athletes to launch marketing campaigns for the Paris Olympics to leverage record ratings for women’s sports in Europe and the US. Also, platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube have formed official partnerships with National Olympic Committees and broadcasters to target a younger demographic, and sponsors lean into social media for athlete-led Olympic campaigns, according to SportsPro Media.
2. The influence of AI in this year’s Olympics
Recent Olympic games have led the way in terms of tech innovation, with the likes of multi-angle slow-motion replays and immersive viewing experiences now commonplace.
The Paris games promise to take these innovations further by embracing a multitude of emerging technologies – including AI.
For starters, Alibaba’s AI-powered cloud computing system is set to power a multi-angled replay system with machine learning capabilities. The system will then refine its efforts based on every interaction it has during the games.
Not only will this make the footage more exciting, vivid, and comprehensive – it will also give brands and marketers a trove of footage to leverage for their own social media marketing efforts.
Intel will be using AI technology to create a host of immersive experiences for fans and athletes during the Olympic and Paralympic games.
As the official AI Platform Olympic Partner, Intel is essentially weaving autonomous technologies into the fabric of this year’s games. Armed with cutting-edge AI innovations, Intel promises to give athletes access to the tools to analyze their performance and connect with fellow competitors more intuitively.
Fans will be able to tailor certain aspects of their viewing experience by connecting with tailored replays and footage highlights across multiple platforms, creating a more inclusive and accessible spectator experience in the process.
There’s also the promise of a host of interactive on-site experiences and digital experiences for spectators. There’ll be AI-powered touchpoints to help visually impaired fans navigate and experience the Olympic Village in a fully accessible way.
3. Sponsorship: Relaxing the rules
In addition to giving professional athletes a platform for success, the Olympic games is an opportunity for brands across sectors to connect with a global audience.
Official sponsors
A mix of longstanding sponsors as well as new participants are expected to cut through the digital noise this year, each of which is sporting a ‘go big or go home’ mindset.
We can expect to see interesting things from brands such as Comcast, Nike, NBC, Deckers Outdoors, Coca-Cola, Uber, Levis, Airbnb, Warner Bros, and Visa.
Ever the innovator, Uber is offering visitors free boat tours (including champagne) up and down the River Seine at select times during the games.
Visa is serving up a mix of informational guides and eye-catching content to support its Paris Olympics sponsorship efforts.
With restrictions on Airbnb rentals in Paris, Airbnb is using the Olympics to try and win over locals and broaden its footprint in the iconic city. In the run up to the Olympics, Airbnb urged Parisians to list their homes for the games to keep prices down and hopes some new hosts drawn by the event will stick with the platform long-term, according to a Wired article.
To promote the company, two lucky fans are being given the opportunity to sleep in the iconic Musée d’Orsay on the night of the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.
Official tech sponsor, Samsung, is making a huge impact by installing 200 Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones at the bow of 85 athlete boating vessels as they cruise down the River Seine to give fans a front-row seat to the opening ceremony.
This head-turning initiative will offer digital spectators a unique perspective of the ceremony and it’s likely to whip up plenty of social media engagement right at the start of the games.
4. Rise of the unofficial Olympic sponsors
Sponsorship at the games has always been a big deal – and this year is no exception. With the relaxation of Rule 40 that was first introduced in 2019, unofficial sponsors are now able to partner up with athletes directly while being a little freer with their marketing efforts.
This change in sponsorship legislation has seen several brands – including many from the luxury sector (such as Moët Hennessy, Dior, and Louis Vuitton) – flocking to become unofficial Paris Olympics sponsors.
One example is Dior. To boost its sponsorship efforts and carefully crafted brand placement, Dior launched its exclusive Paris Olympics couture range in June that celebrates the body in motion, tracing a line from ancient Greece through the 1920s to the present day.
5. A playing field for brand ambassadors
Ambassadorships with competing athletes are a powerful way for brands to tie their identity to the excitement of the games while connecting with fans on a slightly more human level.
There will be plenty of brand ambassadors during this year’s Olympics, with studies suggesting that some of the biggest-hitting names will reach tens of millions via social media. Just two examples are the partnership of Omega with star Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra, as well as LVMH and international rugby star Antoine Dupont.
Brands, including global tire manufacturer Bridgestone, are supporting Olympians and Paralympians during this year’s games by launching their very own roster of athletic talent.
The mighty Team Bridgestone consists of 40 athletes from nine countries – and across 20 sports. This global ambassadorship scheme showcases Bridgestone’s core brand values based on accessibility, inclusion, and innovation.
Not only will Bridgestone be working in collaboration with these elite athletes by promoting them across a multitude of marketing channels – but it will also be supplying cutting-edge materials to support the games, including wheelchair handrims, gloves, and prosthetic running blades.
There are also Olympic and Paralympic athletes representing brands as individuals during this year’s games.
Haven Shepherd for Reese’s
Paralympian swimmer and Instagram influencer Haven Shepherd will be representing Team USA at this year’s games. She will also be joining Team Reese’s to support the launch of its limited edition ‘Medals’ chocolate bar and connect with its audience on a deeper level.
Noah Lyles for Celcius
Despite not being an official sponsor at this year’s games, the energy drinks brand Celcius is teaming up directly with prolific track and field star Noah Lyles to reach a wider audience of sports fans and build a buzz around its products.
Marie Patoulliet for Dior
Circling back to Dior for a moment, French para-cyclist Marie Patouillet is teaming up with the luxury brand as an ambassador. Together, this dynamic duo are expected to turn heads with their tight-knit partnership – and it all started when the cycling star, clad in Dior threads, held the Olympic flame at the Cannes Film Festival.
The final stretch
We can expect a great deal of innovation based on the exciting innovations right now in tech and marketing, as well as savvy brand partnerships, sponsorship initiatives, and thought-provoking social media content.
This year, brands are leaning into emerging technologies, powerful storytelling, and carefully curated partnerships to cut through the digital noise and take the podium in Paris. And it’s going to be an exciting affair.
There will be plenty to learn from as marketers from the Paris Olympics. So, tune in, keep your eyes open, and enjoy the spectacle. The Olympic flame is going to shine very bright this year.
