The Olympics has long been heralded as the pinnacle of global sporting events. But, as consumer behaviour and the media landscape evolves, brands must innovate to remain relevant – and there are three key ways brands can win big at the Olympics this year.
1 – Brands need to attract younger, more diverse audiences by ageing down their marketing and advertising strategies. With the inclusion of more niche sports this year, including breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing there are new opportunities for brands to attract viewers. With TikTok an official partner of team GB and sport-related hashtags garnering billions of views, brands who tap into the power of social media will win gold at this Olympics. Furthermore, recent news revealed that global advertisers are hiring more female athletes to launch marketing campaigns ahead of the Olympics – a move described to capitalise on record ratings for women’s sports in the US and Europe to reach new audiences.
2- Creative storytelling and humorous content were two recurring themes drawn from the Cannes Creativity Festival last month. When it comes to sport, it’s refreshing for consumers to see brands take a lighter approach to marketing and celebrate performance and all things good about the games. As we know from our own research with System1, tapping into humour is a great driver for effective advertising.
3 – Brands who prioritise a fan-first approach to advertising are already reaping long-term rewards. Fans thrive on inside stories and unique moments – which has been driven by a surge in sports docu-series – and want to feel like brands are genuinely connecting with them in a meaningful way while understanding their culture. The Olympics is a great platform for brands to encourage people to try new sports and appeal to non-fans with ‘behind the scenes’ content. For example, in the lead-up to Paris 2024, Deloitte’s “The First Effect” showcased inspiring athletes who defied barriers and made history – something that may be of more interest to someone than watching the game itself.