With just over 100 days until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the surge of 11 million new followers on official Games channels underscores the public's excitement for the event. This engaged audience presents a golden opportunity for brands to connect with a diverse, global audience through various sports marketing and advertising strategies.
What is sports marketing?
Sports marketing involves promoting products and services through the world of sports, creating connections between disciplines like football, gymnastics, swimming, and other sports or events with commercial brands.
Would you like to partner with teams, athletes, or sports events to showcase your brand? That's sports marketing in action! From joining the excitement of an event to sponsoring a prominent team or athlete, sports marketing encompasses all that and more.
The great thing about this branch of marketing is that it goes beyond just selling things. It's about emotions and connections. Sports fans are passionate and loyal to their teams, and brands can leverage that passion to connect with them in a special way.
Sports marketing also includes creating specific products for fans. It's a dynamic way to reach people and make them feel part of something bigger than themselves.
Olympic Marketing Guidelines
Before embarking on any marketing strategy related to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it is crucial to understand and comply with the rules set forth by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). These rules encompass the use of participant images for advertising, both for Olympic partners and non-partners, as well as the conduct of generic advertising during the games period.
Olympic partners, which are brands with sponsorship contracts with the IOC or National Olympic Committees (NOCs), have certain advertising privileges, including the ability to use participant images for advertising. However, they must respect the guidelines set by the IOC and obtain necessary consents from featured participants. Additionally, during the Games period, they are allowed to conduct congratulatory advertising.
On the other hand, brands that are not Olympic partners can also use participant images for advertising during the games period, as long as they obtain necessary consents and adhere to the policies of the IOC and NOCs regarding activities incompatible with the values of the Olympic movement. However, this advertising cannot make use of Olympic properties and must qualify as generic advertising, which is subject to certain restrictions and must be notified to the IOC or the relevant NOC.
It is important to note that all advertising activities must comply with the rules established by the IOC, including the prohibition of commercial activities related to restricted areas, the use of artificial intelligence in advertising content, and any form of sponsorship of prohibited categories such as tobacco, prohibited drugs, alcohol, gambling, and pornographic or immoral businesses.
Finally, online thank-you messages from participants to their personal sponsors are allowed, as long as they do not include any form of commercial promotion or violate the policies established by the IOC and NOCs. These messages must be transparent and should not imply that a product or service improved the participant's athletic performance.
Marketing Strategies to Implement During the Paris 2024 Olympics
Since the announcement of the host city for the upcoming Olympic Games, numerous brands have initiated their strategies to leverage the immense global exposure and media attention surrounding this event. Through meticulous market analysis, audience studies, and trend evaluations, they are identifying key opportunities to stand out during the Olympics. However, there is still time and plenty of ground to explore to join this 17-day sports celebration.
Sponsorship and Partnerships
A fundamental strategy during the Olympic Games is sponsorship and partnerships with teams and athletes. Brands can ensure greater visibility and credibility by associating themselves with the Paris 2024 Olympics, allowing them to reach a global and highly engaged audience.
A notable example is Decathlon, the French giant in sports goods distribution present in over 70 countries, which has pledged its support for Paris 2024, bringing its vast expertise to the table. One of its key contributions is outfitting approximately 45,000 volunteers, essential pieces in the execution of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.
In addition to this significant logistical support, Decathlon is undertaking local initiatives to engage the French community more directly. With 330 stores scattered across the country, the brand will host a series of Paris 2024-themed events. These events will feature challenges, sports activities, and other initiatives aimed at audiences of all ages, with a special focus on host communities and the approximately 1,800 communities and organizations associated with "Terre de Jeux 2024."
Another notable example is Airbnb, which since 2019 has established a strong collaboration with the International Olympic Committee. This partnership not only makes Airbnb the official sponsor of the Olympic Games but also designates it as the official accommodation provider for the Olympic movement until 2028. This agreement has spanned three summer games (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024, and Los Angeles 2028) and two winter games (Beijing 2022 and Milan-Cortina 2026), further solidifying its presence in the global sports arena.
Marketing on Social Media and with Influencers
Paris 2024 is poised to be one of the most digital Olympic Games in history, as highlighted by PuroMarketing. This underscores the essential role of social media presence in your digital marketing strategy to reach a global and engaged audience. The staggering record of 3.2 billion interactions on the official social media channels of the Tokyo Olympic Games underscores the massive and participatory phenomenon that brands can leverage.
To stand out before, during, and after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, brands can adopt various innovative strategies on social media and collaborate with influencers:
- Visual Platforms: Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and TikTok offer unique opportunities to showcase creativity and effectively connect with your audience. Maximize their potential by creating exclusive content tailored to each platform's characteristics. From Instagram stories to Pinterest posts, YouTube podcasts, and TikTok narratives or reviews, diversify your strategy to reach different segments of your audience.
- Anticipation Campaigns: Generate excitement with exclusive content about the preparations for the Games, such as athlete interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and details about specific events.
- Real-Time Content: Keep the audience informed with live updates from the events, including live streams of highlights, post-competition interviews, and real-time reactions.
- Influencer Collaborations: Partner with influential sports figures to create authentic and genuine content that resonates with the audience, leveraging their influence to increase brand visibility.
- Use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Filters: Create immersive experiences for followers using Olympic-themed AR filters, allowing users to interact with the brand creatively.
- Tags and Trends: Stay updated with trending hashtags during this Olympic celebration and have your brand join user trends on various social media platforms.
Content Marketing Inspired by the Olympics
Olympics-inspired content emerges as a strategic tool for brands aiming to stand out in this monumental sports event. With the Summer Olympics in Paris on the horizon, now is the opportune moment to explore fresh ways to create content that not only captivates but also resonates with the audience, embracing the Olympic fervor.
- Brand Consistency: Consistency is paramount in visual marketing. It's crucial to ensure that both images and videos reflect your brand's identity cohesively. To achieve this, employ colors, fonts, and visual styles that are distinctive and representative of your brand across all platforms and communication channels.
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Thematic Podcasts: Harness the podcast format to delve into inspiring stories of Olympic athletes, explore the values and legacy of the Olympics, or even conduct exclusive interviews with prominent figures in the sports world.
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Documentary Series: Produce documentary series that tell fascinating stories about athletes' journeys to the Olympics, highlighting their challenges, triumphs, and sacrifices. These series can be distributed on streaming platforms or television channels.
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User-Generated Content: One of the most valuable tools in marketing is UGC. This strategy capitalizes on content created by users themselves to promote a brand, product, or service. Inviting customers or followers to share photos of themselves using products or services, whether practicing sports or in any other relevant situation related to the Olympics, not only fosters a more authentic connection with the audience but also strengthens the public's trust in it.
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Live Experiential Events: Organize live events or live streams where viewers can interact with Olympic athletes, participate in virtual training sessions, or enjoy demonstrations of lesser-known sports.
Innovation in Email Marketing During the Paris Olympics
Email marketing has evolved significantly in recent years, and the Paris 2024 Olympics provide a unique opportunity to implement innovative strategies that stand out from the crowd. One of the latest trends is incorporating videos into emails.
Video playback in emails adds dynamism and visual appeal, helping to capture the attention of recipients more effectively than static text or images. During the Olympics, you can leverage this tool to highlight the special features and attributes of Olympic merchandise. You also have the option to showcase videos of the experiences and special moments in which your brand and followers engage.
In addition to video playback, a standout innovation in email marketing is the ability to share live streams directly within emails. During the Olympics, your brand can leverage this feature to promote its real-time events interactively.
Events, Activations, and Contests to Inspire the Sporting Spirit
Brand activations are unique experiences aimed at establishing lasting emotional connections between a brand and its audience. These activations can take the form of events, experiences, or interactions designed to raise brand awareness and promote interaction with the target audience.
Creating events, activations, and contests to inspire the sporting spirit is an excellent way to engage the audience and make a lasting impact during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Whether for large companies or small startups, these strategies offer unique opportunities to connect with the audience and differentiate from the competition.
- Themed Sports Events: Organizing themed sports events related to the Olympic Games is an effective way to capture the audience's attention. From tournaments of specific sports to training sessions with local athletes, these events offer unique experiences that appeal to sports enthusiasts and those looking to immerse themselves in the Olympic atmosphere.
- Activations in Public Spaces: Creating activations in public spaces is a creative way to bring the Olympic spirit to the community. From interactive game zones to art exhibitions inspired by sports, these activations provide opportunities for brands to connect with the public in a memorable and meaningful way.
- Creativity Contests: Organizing creativity contests online or offline is an exciting way to encourage public participation and generate user-generated content. From Olympic logo design challenges to sports photography competitions, these contests provide a platform for people to showcase their creative talent and engage with the brand in a fun and relevant way.
- Guerrilla Marketing Strategies: For small businesses with limited budgets, guerrilla marketing strategies offer cost-effective yet impactful opportunities to stand out during the Olympic Games. From sports-themed flash mobs to artistic interventions in urban spaces, these creative tactics can make a big impact without the need for large investments.
In summary, organizing events, activations, and contests during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games provides a unique platform for brands of all sizes to connect with the audience, foster the sporting spirit, and make a lasting impact on the community. Adopting innovative and creative strategies will ensure that brands stand out during this world-class sporting event.
