Every four years, the Olympic Games flood social media, television, radio, and physical ads. They are widely promoted across the world and encourage people to root for their home country in multiple sporting events. Since its beginning, the Olympic committee has used marketing to not only get spectators but also to draw in athletes.
Utilizing multiple streams and working with new advances in marketing, the Olympics generates 47% more search engagement than normal competitive TV. The past two Summer Olympic games have attracted over 3 billion viewers. It is one of the most watched events in the world, but how do they get an audience excited about the games? How does promotional content draw in people of all ages? This blog will discuss more about the marketing tactics that work for the Olympics.
What Is Sports Marketing?
Just like any other marketing, sports marketing promotes products and services through the world of athletics. Because sports receive lots of viewership in person and on TV, brands want their logo to be seen at games. The Olympics is one of the most watched sporting events in the world, so partnering with the Olympics is great brand exposure.
You have most likely seen sports marketing in the form of sponsored jerseys, free fast food items for goals the team scores, electronic ads displaying the company logo and saying, and half-time sponsored games and fundraisers.
Marketing in the sports realm goes beyond selling. Most advertisers create a campaign that elicits emotion and works to build connections with loyal fans. Many sports fans are passionate and feel a deep connection to their team or country. Brands utilize this to market products to fans, but also to help bring in new fans who want to feel a sense of community. This is done at in-person games and through social media posts.
Beneficial Marketing Techniques Of Games Past
If you have watched previous broadcasts of the Olympics, or been on social media during and after the games, you may remember some hard-hitting ad campaigns. Here are some popular ones that did very well during broadcasts of the Olympics and Paralympics.
One of the most recognizable ads from the past decade is the “Thank you, Mom” campaign by Procter & Gamble. Many Olympic athletes were featured in multiple commercials thanking their parents for all the small things they did to help get them to where they are today. Procter & Gamble may have not been a widely known company before this, but with many essential household products and the ads 74 million views, they definitely increased sales thanks to Olympic placement.
“Find Your Greatness” by Nike showed watchers how to find extraordinary in the mundane. It focused on everyday physical activity and how it can bring just as much satisfaction as competing in the Olympic Games. What this ad did well, was promote athleticism during the Olympics, without specifically mentioning the Olympics. The nod to fitness and airing the ad during the Olympic Games was enough to hook millions of customers.
This year’s Coca-Cola ad “It’s Magic When the World Comes Together” was based on a heartwarming moment in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics between swimmers Schoenmaker and Corbett embracing. Coke has designed cans that look like two friends hugging when two cans are placed together. The company collaborated with local artists in France to design 3 separate cans, making their promotion of their brand and Olympic games even more powerful.
Since Coca-Cola is an official sponsor of the Olympics, it is no surprise that they formulated a specific campaign around human connection that comes during the Olympic season.
Brand Partnerships
While the Olympics does run its own ads and marketing materials, most of the promotion you see for athletes and specific sports comes from bigger brands. Like the examples previously listed, many companies will create ads with the Olympic Commitee to be run during the broadcasts of the games.
Brands will also partner with teams to sponsor their jerseys, athletic wear, bags, opening ceremony outfits, and more. Billions of people will see their business logo and colors during all aspects of the games. These brand partnerships are often easily recognizable, even for years after that specific Olympic games.
Radio And Television Broadcasting
Audio and video live streams and previously recorded broadcasts are made widely available to viewers across the globe. Making the games easily accessible is a smart marketing technique because it increases the viewership of athletes and specific brands.
Many companies also pay top dollar to secure an advertising spot during the Olympics. Similar to the Superbowl, putting your ad in the middle of a popular broadcast event will ensure it is seen by the maximum number of people possible.
Brand Consistency
The Olympics themselves and the brands that collaborate with them need to stick to their brand. Having an easily recognizable brand color or logo makes it easier for customers to identify you without companies even having to say their names. Each Olympic Games has a specific logo, font, and often symbols, to indicate Olympic promotional content.
Dynamic Email Marketing
While email may not be as popular as it once was, there are some great marketing advantages of email marketing. When it is done correctly, email newsletters can help customers and viewers gain insight on what you have to offer. For the Olympics, companies may choose to include clips of the athletes in the emails to encourage more people to purchase a product or watch the broadcast.
Other examples of marketing for the Olympics include:
- Sharing products that help everyone feel like winners
- Nike, Puma, or other athletic brands promoting similar products so we can train like the athletes
- Deals on products leading up to the opening ceremonies
- Contests or events where people can show off their athletic skills to win a prize
Having a list of customers for a newsletter will help them stay on top of new drops, special promotions, or other cool advancements in your business. Formatting the email to meet the needs of your audience will help you retain readers. If an email doesn’t include a catchy title, call to action, or easy-to-digestible information, you will not see results.
Marketing Help From Performance Driven Marketing
If you want your marketing message to be worthy of gold, you should trust the experts. Performance Driven Marketing can help you with Google ads, social media posts, email marketing, and quality content. Even if you don’t feature an ad or product in the Olympics, our team can help you achieve optimal results with Google. Reach out to us to get started today!
