If you’re like me, fair reader, then you completely understand why your couch has a permanent dent in the cushions and has kernels of popcorn mysteriously scattered around -you sat for the good part of August and watched the 2008 Summer Olympics unfold. Death-defying twists on the uneven bars, dozens of world-records broken and Michael Phelps? What could be better? Not much, and that’s why so many companies jump on the Olympic sponsorship bandwagon year after year; they know that millions of people worldwide will be glued to their television sets, and the Olympics give them a global platform to showcase their brand. (Note: about 3 billion people across the globe tuned their television to the Olympics this year).
Of course, it didn’t hurt that the Olympics were held in China- a huge growth market for many of these corporations. As a whole, the Chinese are proud and nationalistic, known as consumers for being extremely relationship-driven. Sponsoring these Olympics is a way to get your foot in the door and to garner the goodwill needed for their business.
NBC reported that the Beijing Olympics was the most expensive in history – costing approximately $40 billion dollars to produce. Sponsorship for this event was also at an all-time high – the twelve largest sponsors spent a combined $866 million on just the sponsorship fees alone. For that amount of money, you better make sure that your director of marketing makes the most of that sponsorship fee. That’s why it is so important to utilize (and why we advertising folks are constantly harping on) the idea of integrated marketing communications. Plopping those iconic rings into your commercial or brand packaging isn’t going to do it – you have to engage your viewers. You do that by creating a platform for them to interact and participate with that brand and experience it on a personal level.
You achieve this by having many avenues for consumers to relate to your brand. You can’t solely rely on a sponsorship – just like you can’t rely solely on one advertisement. Sponsorships create the goodwill , that warm and fuzzy feeling, that you want your consumers to have when they think of your brand. I could get into the whole mix of integrated marketing communication…but then why would you keep reading this blog?
To me, Coca-Cola is the Michael Phelps of the Olympic sponsors. Why?
Here’s a rundown of the campaign that Coke ran which prompted me to give it the gold medal of Olympic sponsorship:
· Virtual Olympic torch relay: 57 million participants took part in the Coca-Cola online torch relay through instant messaging
· Coca-Cola Olympic Photo Montage: 17 million photos, contributed by Chinese consumers, showcase the product in 17 million ways. I’m pretty sure you can’t read Chinese, but you should check this site out anyway, it’s really cool
· Interactive Website: At www.mycoke.com consumers can shoot hoops with Yao Ming, design their own bottle of Coke online, view exclusive videos of their favorite Olympic athletes, send e-cards, download wallpaper, screensavers and tons of other neat stuff. This site is in English too, folks!
· The Shuang Experience Center: A 40,000-square-foot center that features games, exhibits, contests, Olympic pin trading, musical acts, meet and greets with athletes and free Coca-Cola product. (Chinese 101: “Shuang” is loosely translated as a physical and emotional state of refreshment. Get it? Refreshment? Beverages?)
· Sampling: Hours after China was selected to host the 2008 Summer Games, Coke distributed one million limited edition cans congratulating the country on being selected. Cokes were also passed out to thirsty bystanders in 100 Chinese cities during the torch relay.
· Traditional Media: Billboards and television ads espouse the Olympic Goodwill sentiment, and of course, cleverly tie in the Coke product. Check out this video where an animated Yao Ming and LeBron James square off on the basketball court, then come together over an ice-cold Coke. Touching, really!
Those were just a few of my favorite highlights which spurred me to name Coca-Cola as my all-time favorite Olympic sponsor. By cleverly tailoring all their marketing materials to center around the type of goodwill that the Olympics tries to create – unity, cultural connections and a celebration of Olympic Spirit – they effectively elevated their brand presence.
Want proof? Researchers of Coke’s ROI for the Olympic Games claim that 50% of Chinese citizens could spontaneously name Coke as a sponsor, while 86% could do so when slightly prompted.
Of course, not every company has that budget to run this type of campaign. But, with a little creativity and dedication to the essence of your brand, you too can win the gold medal in sponsorships.
Michael Moloney, one of the fabulous designers on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, is asking for help from members of the Charlotte community! 
