This summer will be marked by one of the most important sporting events of the year, the Olympic Games in Paris. It is clear that an event of this magnitude is a luxury opportunity to bet on marketing and advertising strategies directly related to what is happening in the French capital.
It is estimated that these Olympic Games will be the most digital in history, which will allow for more participative strategies to be applied and a constant conversation to be maintained with followers.
The viewing of the different events through streaming and publications on social networks will be much greater than in previous events. Athletes will gain prominence, as they will be able to tell their own story from their profiles, which allows them to generate a greater storytelling, thus becoming true brand ambassadors.
What role do athletes play in communication strategies?
In the age of social media, where most participants have a profile on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok or Youtube, self-generated content plays a key role in marketing and advertising.
Whether on a personal or advertising level, the athletes’ social networks are the perfect loudspeaker to tell everything that is happening both inside the competition and in the Olympic Village. That is why the International Olympic Committee has created some limitations on their use, which also have repercussions for sponsors.
Participants will be allowed to publish content on their social networks up to one hour before the start of the event and just after leaving the mixed zone, but no explicit advertising of a product or brand will be allowed from the facilities. Sponsor acknowledgements are allowed, however, so the presence of advertising will be much less intrusive.
But advertising opportunities are not only limited to athletes, the Olympic universe opens up a wide variety of opportunities by applying different strategies:
– Themed content: there is no need to be directly present at the competition, everything around it is susceptible to become potential content for a content creation strategy with themed programmes, related publications,
– Experiential events related to sport: the creation of events where users become the real protagonists allows the inclusion of a product or brand in a more direct way, being able to relate it indirectly to what is happening in Paris.
– Campaigns related to sport in a generic way: during those days, the conversation will mainly revolve around sport, so taking advantage of the opportunity to relate directly to this world is one of the easiest ways to keep a brand in real time.
It is clear that whatever happens in Paris this summer will have a direct echo around the world, so advertisers and brands will have a golden opportunity to impact a wide audience.