Small Business Marketers Can Win Gold with Lessons from the Olympics
It seems like we just finished digesting the commercials and marketing around the Super Bowl but the Olympics is very different. The global audience of the opening ceremonies is huge compared that of the Super Bowl but the ads from the latter easily outperform the Olympics.
- The top three Super Bowl ads, combined, have generated 11,466,280 shares
- The top three Winter Olympics ads have generated 659,701 shares
Regardless of the events and marketing tactics you choose, here is some good advice related to the Olympics to help you be more effective.
- Consider Format and Duration
The Super Bowl is one night and the commercials are as anticipated as the game. But the Olympics are several weeks long and ads don’t generate the same kind of buzz. Plus, there is quite a bit of repetition, especially for viewers online. Repetition is to the Olympics what creativity is to the Super Bowl.
As a result, it is important to consider the unique qualities, requirements and expectations of events. When exhibiting, you could create a hashtag with your company name and the event. But be sure there is no way it can be misinterpreted (one of the most famous incidents was Susan Boyle’s album party: #susan album party—connect the words and see what I mean).
- Understand the Type of Ads that Work
Advertising for the Olympics is understated and not as wacky or edgy as the Super Bowl. There are a few approaches that resonate especially well with consumers. Derek D. Rucker noted: “Savvy brands realize the Olympics carry with them a particular zeitgeist that colors consumer sentiment. Ads that are inspirational and heartfelt, playing up the human spirit and achievement are more likely to be remembered, even if they are unlikely to generate water cooler chatter.”
1.Human Story. John Maxham, chief creative officer, Chicago office of DDB Worldwide, said: “The strength of the Olympics is when the puck drops, the human story comes forward and the controversy recedes into the background.” P&G builds on their 2012 campaign, “Thank You, Mom” with the new “Pick Them Back Up.” This touching spot reminds us many of the amazing athletes made it to the Olympics because of the support and encouragement they got from their families. This is by far the most memorable commercial I’ve seen around the games.
As a small business, a great way to connect and engage with your customers is evoke emotion. For example, jewelry stores often show people being surprised and moved by gifts on special occasions.
2.Spirit of Competition. Century 21 sponsors the men’s and women’s bobsled and skeleton teams and airs ads with the theme “Smarter. Bolder. Faster,” The fast pace gets the heart racing and builds excitement for these races.
In a similar way, BP supports six Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Its ads state that the company is committed to bringing energy to America and this year it will come from a difference source, the athletes.
Think about your customers’ objectives or obstacles and illustrate with your marketing how you can help them cross that finish line ahead of their competition.
3. Optimism and Hope. Citibank’s “Every Step of the Way” campaign features Julie Chu, Billy Demong, Erin Hamlin, Ted Ligety, Evan Lysacek, Dan Jansen, Picabo Street, Alana Nichols and Rico Roman. It lets consumers decide where a $500,000 contribution will go to help future athletes “reach their full potential through sports programs that inspire.”
In honor of the Olympic debut of women’s ski jumping, Visa features ski jumper Sarah Hendrickson with a voiceover from Amelia Earhart—a great woman who loved to fly (and I agree with Vanessa that the addition of this sport was way overdue!).
In your promotional efforts, keep in mind that fear and failure will certainly motivate people to take action, but uplifting messages can establish and reinforce a positive association with your company.
4.Diversity. This year a new theme emerged around diversity, related to Russia’s anti-gay propaganda laws last year and the international outcry following President Putin’s comments on homosexuality.
Chevrolet capitalized with two ads. One for the Traverse minivan that reminds us what the family looks like has changed but the company still wants to keep them safe.
For the opening ceremony, Coke ran a longer ad with “America the Beautiful” sung in several languages, a translation of “e pluribus unum” (out of many, one) and images of different people to communicate that America is beautiful and Coca-Cola is for everyone.
The point here is to make sure you are listening to your clients, prospects and industries to pick up on emerging themes and remain relevant in your promotional activities.
- Go Beyond the Obvious Opportunity
The best way to market in relation to events may not be ads. For many companies, it may be better to use logos or symbols like the iconic Olympic rings on packaging. When shopping, there are some people who opt for one brand over another because they want to reward companies sponsoring their countries’ teams.
Compared to traditional advertising, social media better enables brands to engage consumers in discussions about surprise victories, individual performances and other happenings like the opening ceremony. This might be true with your events too.
Ultimately, successful marketers must deliver brand messages over the course of entire events through multiple channels. Think in terms of campaigns that can be translated to your website, social media, print collateral and more, versus individual tactics or ads.
- Watch What Doesn’t Work
Learn from other companies and past ads so that you make the best choices with your limited funds. This year, one commercial that falls flat to me is JC Penney features U.S. Alpine skier Ted Ligety in a remake of the 1996 song, “No Diggity.” It’s a good ad but doesn’t quite work for the Olympics in my opinion. Apparently, I’m not alone. It has reached 35,000 views on YouTube, compared with 14.5 million garnered by P&G for “Pick Them Back Up.”
Although you can’t spend like Visa, BP and Chevrolet, you can benefit from their marketing wins and losses. A great way to sum up is the comment from P&G’s CMO Marc Pritchard. He told Ad Age that the company’s 2012 Olympics platform was an attempt to build “a perfect storm” of TV, digital, social and PR activity around the games, 34 P&G brands and its corporate image. I hope the Olympics inspire you to make your marketing faster, higher and stronger!
What are your favorite 2014 Olympic ads so far and how have they encouraged you to improve your marketing this year?