5 Winning Marketing Strategies from the Paris 2024 Olympics You Can Use

With the 2024 Paris Olympics officially underway and millions tuning in to watch the opening ceremony alone, let’s take a look at the impressive efforts the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee used for marketing the biggest sporting event of the year. Whether you are religiously following the Olympics or just a casual observer, it’s hard to escape the buzz surrounding this monumental event. The French committee created incredible excitement and impact in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics. So let’s examine  5 winning marketing strategies they used and just how you can adapt such methods when marketing your own business.

1. Draw from Your Existing Branding 

Arguably the most iconic  method used by the Parisian Committee to promote the Olympics has been the rich cultural heritage of the ancient city. From the world’s largest museum, the Louvre, to the dazzling Eiffel Tower, the 2024 Summer Olympics has intentionally showcased  these incredible structural icons to achieve marketing success. Drawing from the city’s visual strengths has proven an effective strategy for promoting the Olympics.

So what can businesses learn from this? Just as the Paris Olympic Committee incorporated the existing branding of the city for the promotion of the 2024 Olympics, you can do the same. Capitalize on your own branding (icons, taglines, colors, logo) for new campaigns and product launches. When your branding is working for you, double down and reap the benefits of existing brand equity for future success. 

2. Engage with Influencers

The Paris Olympic committee understood how important it is, especially with younger audiences, to  use influencers to promote the games. In this case,  the athletes themselves serve as the influencer community. Drawing from the existing fan bases for  sports from basketball to gymnastics, comprehensive marketing campaigns have engaged these athletes to drive awareness and excitement with fans. This has made it possible for the Paris Olympics to amplify marketing efforts beyond their own normal reach and energize  a new generation of Olympic enthusiasts.. 

So what can businesses learn from this? Influencer marketing is here to stay. Consider partnering with respected thought leaders and those with loyal followings in your industry as a  way to amplify your message. This helps to lend credibility to your product or service by providing third-party validation and it significantly extends the reach of your own promotional efforts. 

3. Identify Your Target Audience

Where would the Olympics be if not for the worldwide appeal that makes them  so special? Those tasked with marketing the Games understand its global nature. Their target audience is the whole world. Knowing who they are marketing to, they then create multinational business partnerships with global social media platforms, such as Snapchat, Youtube, and TikTok, and international advertising campaigns. 

So what can businesses learn from this? Your task is likely much easier because your audience is more targeted. When considering the marketing campaigns you want to build, zero in on the geography, demographics, and buying behavior of your ideal customer. Going too broad will deplete your resources and water down your results.

4. Build Anticipation

Whether using a  100-day countdown clock before the Opening Ceremony or providing sneak peaks to events and athlete performances, the buildup to the Olympic Games exponentially  enhances the experience.   

So what can businesses learn from this? The same type of hype created in the lead-up to the Olympic Games can be an effective tool for your own product or service launches. Don’t overlook the power of sneak previews and countdowns for building excitement. From a simple “Coming Soon” web page with a countdown clock to product sneak peek videos, you too can build buzz.

5. Engage Your Community 

Just this upcoming Olympic Games cycle, Paris established educational programs and public consultations to stimulate local excitement for the games. With an event of this renown bringing in unmatched economic benefits to a host country, engaging the community is an important way to both promote and improve the experience.

So what can businesses learn from this? Community engagement is a highly effective way for any business to promote its products or services. Activities like conducting product roundtables, sending out surveys, sharing customer experiences, and hosting educational events create awareness and promote your business in an organic way. 

Throughout the upcoming month of the Olympic Games, while athletes live out their career dreams to compete on the world’s stage, there is much to learn about the world-class marketing efforts that propelled the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where they are today.