How to Make the Most of Your Marketing During the 2018 Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympics are an exciting time for athletes and spectators alike. Rooting for favorite athletes and countries, cheering for the underdog or the fan favorite, and doing everything from the comfort of your warm home makes February 2018 one of the most thrilling months of the year. As a marketer, you want to jump on the Olympics 2018 bandwagon, and who can blame you? But you need to make sure that, like the athletes, you have put in the necessary work to earn your spot amongst the rankings of Olympic advertising. After all, Mirai Nagasu didn’t land her triple axel by improvising her whole routine—she had a medal-winning plan, and you can too. Pay attention to these Do’s and Don’ts to earn your campaign a spot on the podium.
On Influencers:
DO: Research Your Audience’s Preferences
Putting time and effort—not to mention money— into an influencer can be a worthy investment or a total flop. A large contributor to success depends on whether your audience is actually influenced by your influencer. Don’t just pick the athlete with the best medal count or discount an athlete who has not made it to the podium; pay attention to who your audience cares about and go from there. Are they more likely to follow a particular sport? Or perhaps there’s an athlete who aligns with your audience’s common values. According to CNN, there are 2,925 athletes competing in the 2018 Games—244 of them on Team USA—so you certainly have options.
DON’T: Count Yourself Out
Olympic athletes appeal to diverse audiences, just look at gold medalist Chloe Kim. Not only does she appeal to snowboarders and athletes overall, but an article by Fortune reported on her love of food and how she shares that with her more than 250 thousand Twitter followers. If your company seems like it won’t fit in with any of the athletes or coaches, dig a little deeper.
On Campaigning in General:
DO: Go Beyond the Games
You don’t have to use a specific athlete as an influencer when there’s so much that encompasses the Winter Olympics. For example, all of those athletes have to sleep in a bed, shower, eat, do laundry, maybe even wear makeup—there are so many elements to capitalize on. Showcase your product or service in relation to the Olympics, even if that means flexing your creative muscles. Just be sure to do everything by the book. See below:
DON’T: Break the Rules
You may have to utilize your influencers’ fame post-Olympics, thanks to Rule 40. According to the Seattle Times, “The International Olympic Committee’s controversial Rule 40 blackout period will be in effect Feb. 1-28 for next month’s Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. During that time, the IOC and United States Olympic Committee will enforce compliance with the rule preventing nonofficial Olympic sponsors and their athletes from any brand promotion linked to the Games, including social-media postings.” Pay attention to your Olympic hashtags to make sure they’re not banned, and be sure to avoid legal action with the IOC due to any element of your campaign. The Olympics can provide a great platform for promoting your brand, but be sure to tread carefully.
Olympic athletes would be nowhere without their coaches. Let Kraus Marketing, an award-winning digital marketing agency, be your coach to help you navigate the rules of the IOC and make the most of your digital marketing campaign.