Today’s guest op-ed is from Anaïs Guillemané Mootoosamy, Strategy Managing Director at W Conran Design, part of global brand and design consultancy Conran Design Group.
From London to Rio, Tokyo to Paris, the fundamental tenets of the Olympic and Paralympic Games remain immutable: courage, competition, respect, transcendence and excellence set the tone every time. These tenets inspire both the athletes looking to break records and win medals, and the brands looking to win big on the global stage.
Paris 2024 is all about openness and inclusivity, with a slogan – ‘Ouvrons Grand les Jeux’ (‘Games Wide Open’) – that captures the zeitgeist and fosters a sense of unity and connection across athletes, nations and audiences. We can add another stakeholder to that group: brands. The brands looking to make the most of their association with the Games must appreciate and understand the values that shape their involvement.
How to drive engagement at an event like the Olympics
The world has clearly changed over the last two Games: for one, our relationship with and expectations of the global brands that help finance it has shifted. During the pandemic, we put our lives in the hands of the state and with companies; we now, therefore, demand greater trust and authenticity from our brands. And we also now have the tools and technology to hold these brands to greater scrutiny: we demand authenticity, and we know when it’s not being delivered.
With nearly half of the world’s population watching Paris 2024, the event presents a unique opportunity for brands, including sponsors, to stand out from the crowd. And it’s clear that effective strategies must be interactive, immersive, translate effortlessly across all mediums and – most importantly – be human. The brands that engage with people on a human level will be the standout winners; those that don’t simply won’t win a spot on the podium.
How Samsung, Nike and EDF are winning big at this year’s Games
Samsung’s ‘Open Always Wins’ campaign is a great example of a brand using experiential ways to align its inclusive values with those of the Games. Its Champs-Élysées pop-up shop is an immersive environment that invites spectators to experience some of the Games’ greatest highlights through its technology and listen to the inspirational stories of Team Samsung Galaxy members: skateboarder Aurélien Giraud, Paralympic sprinter Johannes Floors and breakdancer Sarah Bee. Their narratives demonstrate how an open mindset can empower, inspire and ultimately lead to victory.
Samsung’s approach aligns with our intention in creating the ‘Look of the Games’ and the focus on celebration, optimism and openness. We wanted to recreate the festive and popular spirit of the pre-Covid Olympics, and recapture the joyful bustle of Rio 2016, and we see that amplified by Samsung’s efforts. Its focus on storytelling and athletes’ narratives allows audiences to relate to extraordinary feats in a human and relatable way.
Samsung’s experiential execution also allows brand values to be brought to life in tangible, sensorial ways; its pop-up shop pays homage to the themes of openness and broadened horizons in its aesthetics with a visual identity that dovetails seamlessly with Paris 2024 and the Games’ brand values.
Then we have Nike, arguably one of the most recognised global brands, using Paris 2024 to reinforce its reputation as the definitive partner for elite athletes; its celebrity-backed ad campaign, ‘Winning Isn’t For Everyone’, allows it to behave like a challenger brand and captures the maverick, determined nature of competitive sportspeople. Compelling storytelling is again used to provide audiences with a unique insight into the psychology of a winner; to feel viscerally in touch with the galvanising forces powering the world’s best.
Nike’s campaign is complemented by its ‘Art of Victory’ exhibition at the Centre Pompidou, which celebrates the evolution of its Nike Air technology and, by proxy, strengthens its presence as a pioneer of sportswear. Its focus on diversity and inclusion is less about profiling individual athletes from marginalised groups but on drawing on the winning mindsets that unite the athletic community despite barriers of difference.
Finally, French energy provider EDF, with its spectacular flying cauldron soaring 60m above Paris from the Jardin des Tuileries, has achieved two things: for the first time in the history of the Games, the Olympic Flame will shine without fuel and offer a new perspective on the historic centre of the host city. This is even more spectacular when you think about how difficult it is to emerge as the event’s official energy supplier in a busy value-driven environment like the Olympics. Once again, it proves that with creativity, audacity and brand-driven thinking, anyone can become a winner in the race for visibility and legitimacy.
The path to brand victory
So what do these three examples tell us? Firstly, Paris 2024 is more than the event itself. It’s a multifaceted, immersive on and offline experience that not only celebrates physical ability in the face of challenge but also communicates a rich tapestry of hopeful stories that showcase the potency of mind over matter.
Brands can and should make sure their stories are told in a way that chimes authentically with the spirit and values of the Olympics and Paralympics as well as the wants and needs of global audiences. This authenticity is fundamental in ensuring that brand resonance and audience connection is sustained long after the flame has been extinguished.
