Whenever a big event comes along, PRs jump at the chance to use it to give their brand's reputation a little boost. And let's be honest here — it doesn't get any bigger than the Olympics. That is why we decided to take a look at the medal-worthy PR campaigns related to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The Olympics happen but once every four years. That is why athletes prepare for months and months.
They do everything they possibly can to ensure that they give the performance of a lifetime at the Olympics in the hopes of getting one of those coveted medals.
PRs are no different. They might not wear as much activewear, but they put in the work to give their brand’s reputation the glow only an Olympic flame can.
On your marks… get set… and let's GO through some of the best PR moments of the 2024 Olympics with Alrika Möller from media update:
Event Rules Clarification
Whenever you watch the Olympics, you often find yourself enthralled with sports that you have never watched before, so you do a quick Google search to find out the rules.
Let's do the same here, as PR campaigns and marketing campaigns often get confused.
PR campaigns are a collection of ads, communications, partnerships and sponsorships that focus on a brand and the brand's reputation. Marketing, however, is all about selling you a specific product via these approaches.
When you see campaigns highlighting good things about a brand, it's PR; if they try to sell you the products or services of that brand, it's marketing.
Now that we have that out of the way, we can get into the finals of the Olympic PR games.
Stadium Stealth
The Olympics manages to get millions — if not billions — of viewers worldwide every time it happens. That means that there are a lot of eyes on Paris and France at the moment!
The organisers of this momentous event knew this when they were planning it, so they took the opportunity to do some PR gymnastics for the city of Paris and France in general.
Fifty days before the opening ceremony, the French displayed the Olympic rings on one of their most iconic landmarks, the Eiffel Tower. Each ring is about nine meters in diameter, and all five of them are completely made from recycled steel. This aims to demonstrate Paris's commitment to hosting an eco-friendly Olympic Games.
Instagram
Instagram
They did not stop there. They also made a point of banning certain foods from the Olympic Village for various reasons, such as the farming conditions or the methods of cooking required. Some of these foods include avocados due to methods of import and fries because of the amount of oil needed for cooking.
The last PR move made by the French hosts was during the opening ceremony itself.
The 2024 Olympic Games marks the first Olympics in history where there are as many female athletes as there are male athletes. #GenderEqualOlympics is trending as a result.
The French made a huge push for gender equality during the games and even opted for gender-neutral uniforms for the medal bearers.
During the opening ceremony, they declared their country's view on equality and the power of women by showcasing statues of women who made a difference in the country and in sports. Each statue had its own special unveiling, as well as a short explanation of who they are and why they are being celebrated.
They even had a masked female rider on a horse carry the Olympic flag to represent the many female athletes, coaches and supporters carrying sports.
Injury Time
During most sports, Injury Time happens when injuries during the actual match delay play. When the final whistle blows, they allot extra time to gain back the time lost due to injury.
When this happens, we are so focussed on our favourite athletes and whether or not they will win the medal that we forget about the real heroes during Injury Time… the paramedics and medical staff.
The global medical apparel brand FIGS created a campaign with the main purpose of reminding people about the important role that medical staff play during the Olympic Games.
The ad shows the medical personnel attending to everything from minor muscle injuries all the way through to serious concussions. While they do wear the FIGS apparel during the ad, the campaign as a whole is not about that.
It is about celebrating the people who take care of the athletes we love and support so that they can have a chance at winning medals.
They really are the unsung heroes of the Olympic Games.
Half Time Refreshments
At its core, the Olympic Games is about celebrating the athletic abilities of extraordinary people and giving athletes from all over the world the opportunity to connect with each other.
That is nice and all, but people are generally very competitive — and so we have turned the whole thing into one big competition. We want certain countries to win, others to lose and we want our countries to feature on the medal table.
Coca-Cola decided to get us all back to what it is really about — and so it created its own Olympic campaign.
Now, it is true that Coke is the biggest beverage brand in the world, so it doesn't really have to market products, but it does have to maintain its brand reputation.
The brand's Olympic campaign's tagline 'It's magic when the world comes together' reminds us all about the real meaning behind the games. The love for sports and bringing people from different countries and cultures together.
In the ad, South African swimmer Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) is seen stepping into the arena, ready to defend her Olympic title. She has her game face on and looks all serious until she sees the other swimmers in the race — and stops everything to give them a hug.
The ad and the message are so simple yet so powerful amidst the global climate going into these games. It cements Coca-Cola's reputation as a positive brand that celebrates inclusivity and kindness rather than competition and animosity.
When brands or even countries share a message that is truly impactful and encourages us all to do better, they get the gold, silver and bronze at the Olympic PR Games.
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Brands often use sporting events to take a stand and share a message. Check out these Female-focussed brand partnerships.
*Image courtesy of Canva