The Paris Olympics: What Marketers Can Learn

The 2024 Summer Olympics were nothing short of extraordinary. From finally achieving gender parity for male and female athletes (only took 30 Summer Games to get here…), to watching the USA and Canada bringing home 153 medals – we were glued to our screens this year.

As marketers, there’s a lot to unpack from this year's Games. Here are a few key things we’re taking away from this year’s events: 

1. The Power of Storytelling

If you know anything about us, you know we love storytelling.  We’re constantly telling our clients how important it is to share their story - and this year’s games were a great example of why! This year, athletes shared more than just their victories. Their personal stories, from their training schedules, to their journey to the Olympics, to Henrik Christiansen’s hilarious obsession with the Olympic Village chocolate muffins (do you know the muffin man?!), the authenticity connected with everyone watching at home. 

2. Find Your Audience 

Find what platforms your audience is on, and make the most of them! TikTok played a major role this year, with the official #olympics2024 hashtag racking up 4.6 billion views. The platform’s 24/7 Olympics content hub featured everything from athlete-led content to curated videos, interactive experiences, and Olympic-themed prizes. Athletes leveraged TikTok to share behind-the-scenes moments and engage with their audience in real-time, making the app a central hub for live coverage and fan interaction.

3. Tap Into Emotions 

Ads like Google’s ‘Dear Sydney’ showed the power of tapping into viewers' emotions. Beyond medals and records, the Olympics celebrate the human stories of triumph, struggle, and unity. Connecting with the audience on an emotional level ensures that the events remain memorable long after the closing ceremonies.

The Paris Olympics set the bar high, and we’re looking forward to seeing what content comes out of the Winter Games.  Until then, we’ll be watching recaps on TikTok, and searching for that chocolate muffin recipe.