This year’s Olympics in Paris was a spectacle and the Paralympics are keeping that torch burning bright.With over 10,000 athletes from 196 nations taking part, it embraced the lack of restrictions that posed a challenge for the Tokyo games in 2020.
From the awe-inspiring opening ceremony, Celine Dion’s big comeback, the ubiquitous presence of Snoop Dogg, chocolate muffins that went viral, to the adrenaline-fuelled basketball finale and the pass-over to Los Angeles, this year’s games were nothing short of epic.
Post-pandemic, the world is well and truly open and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is widespread, meaning that brands took their Olympic marketing efforts up a notch.
Let’s explore the Paris games from a marketing perspective, honing in on the trends and initiatives that kept the torch burning bright.
Inclusive and emotive storytelling took the gold
The influence of AI in this year’s Olympics
A playing field for brand ambassadors
The best memes and denmark phone number lead characters from the Paris Olympics
Inclusive and emotive storytelling took the gold
With environmental concerns, social issues, and gender equality on the agenda, we saw brands and sponsors (including Coca-Cola, Omega, and the BBC) stepping up their game to build meaningful narratives that made a deeper impact than hollow sales messaging or snappy ad slogans.
Nike, for example, collaborated with the Olympic Refugee Foundation to provide uniforms for the Refugee Olympic Team and support the refugee community in Paris. This ‘Watch Where We’re Going’ video offered fresh perspectives on the refugee athletes competing at the games.
Sharp, punchy, and powerful, this video-based campaign zeroed in on the hardships and stigma that refugee athletes face
In addition to showcasing the challenges faced by refugee Olympians, Nike succeeded 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.
While the Paris games were the first to have full gender parity in all sporting events, brands hired more female athletes to launch marketing campaigns. This also connects to the ever-increasing record ratings for women’s sports in Europe and the U.S.
While platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube formed official partnerships with National Olympic Committees and broadcasters to target a younger demographic, sponsors leaned into social media for athlete-led Olympic campaigns, according to SportsPro Media.
The influence of AI in this year’s Olympics
For starters, Alibaba’s AI-powered cloud computing system powered a multi-angled replay system with machine learning capabilities.
Not only did this make the footage more exciting, vivid, and comprehensive – it also gave brands and marketers a trove of footage to leverage for social media marketing efforts.
Intel also used AI technology to create immersive experiences for fans and athletes during the Olympic and Paralympic games.
As the official AI Platform Olympic Partner, Intel weaved autonomous technologies into the fabric of this year’s games. Armed with cutting-edge AI innovations, Intel gave athletes access to tools that helped analyze their performance and connect with fellow competitors more intuitively.
Fans were 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 was also a host of interactive on-site experiences and digital experiences for spectators and AI-powered touchpoints to help visually impaired fans navigate and experience the Olympic Village in an accessible way.
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 were plenty bz lists of brand ambassadors during this year’s Olympics, with some of the biggest-hitting names able to reach tens of millions via social media, such as star Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra (for Omega), and rugby star Antoine Dupont (LVMH).
Brands, including global tire manufacturer Bridgestone, supported Olympians and Paralympians during this year’s games by launching their own roster of athletic talent.
The mighty Team Bridgestone consisted of 40 athletes from nine countries – and across 20 sports
This global ambassadorship how to use storytelling to increase revenue scheme showcased Bridgestone’s core brand values based on accessibility, inclusion, and innovation.
Not only did Bridgestone work in collaboration with these elite athletes by promoting them across a multitude of marketing channels – but they also supplied cutting-edge materials to support the games, including wheelchair hand rims, gloves, and prosthetic running blades.
