There is now less than a week to the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. Here records will be broken, ambitions realised and incredible stories told. And at Eurosport, we are excited to be on the verge of bringing the Games to life for more people than ever before - helping to tell the human stories behind one of the world's largest sporting events.
We recently hosted a special ad sales breakfast with a Olympic gold medallist together with one of the leading names in Olympic brand sponsorship to hear their Olympic journeys and the benefits for brands and athletes of working together around iconic events.
An Iconic Brand, Continually Evolving
The Olympic Games has always been, and always will be, about bringing people and nations together – it is the heart of the Olympic movement’s DNA. The Olympic Games have evolved over the decades to become one of the biggest brands on the planet.
As each Games gets bigger and better, audiences, athletes, and the brands involved expect more and more.
As the Games have grown and technology improved, the target audience size has also grown. Where once it was thousands inside a single venue, now it is billions watching around the world. As such, the ways brands can engage with these audiences is also evolving. Now brands are reaching audiences not just through linear TV, but also OTT products and social media.
A Catalyst for Change
Embarking on an “Olympic journey” is a commitment to excellence. For an organisation that can be opening new markets, building new supply chains, developing a global marketing infrastructure - ultimately growing recognition and selling more products. For an athlete it means performing at the peak of your abilities. In any context, it forces you to go to a level you never previously thought possible.
The Olympics brings government, business and the media together. Brands increasingly partner and collaborate with each other - here the Olympics can act as a valuable conduit. Without such a conduit, these partnerships can be difficult to pull off.
Have a Clear Goal
Brands have to ask themselves why they want to be part of the Olympics and what they want to achieve?
Brands need to see the Olympics as a far bigger platform than one games, or a few week period every four years. If you are only activating on the ground in a host city then - to put it bluntly - you are too late.
The Olympic Games is not only a moment in time. It's part of a long term journey. This is as true for fans as it is the athletes.
To succeed, brands need to help bring that journey to life and make it relevant for their intended audiences.
Extraordinary Human Stories
As much as the modern Olympic Games can be a major commercial opportunity, the beating heart of any Games are the athletes. Each one has a compelling story of sacrifice, hard work, failure and success.
Brands can become part of this journey, telling the stories behind the athletes, and helping them reach their goals and full potential.
Most athletes would welcome brand support. For the very few, the Olympics can be a passport to fame and wealth. For the majority of athletes it is the love of their sport and the drive to push themselves to their limits which drives them on. They would be delighted to partner with brands in ways that could be of benefit to all.
To be a part of Tokyo 2020, the watchword is to get active now.
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