Assignment 4: Advertising Analysis (Network, Cable, Streaming, Online, or Social)

Olympic Advertisements 

Televised commercials and advertisements for the Olympics have had a major global impact on the legacy of the historic event since the first televised Olympic games in 1936. Since then, advertising campaigns have drastically changed. 

Just as the technology and platforms for advertisements have grown, so has the worldwide audience viewing the Olympics. When the first televised Olympics aired, Berlin was the only place available to receive the broadcast. It wasn't until the 1964 Tokyo games that overseas coverage of the Olympics was available, and since then the numbers have continued to grow.

Today, more than 3 billion people tune in to the Olympics, and because of the increased amount of platforms and streaming services, Olympic advertising has dramatically changed throughout the years.

Televised Advertisements

Whenever I think of Olympic advertisements, I think of the countless Coca-Cola ads that air every Olympic games, promoting the famous soda to countries around the world. 

Growing up, I distinctly remember sitting down with my family and viewing the Olympics. And while watching the athletes compete was definitely my favorite part, the advertisements aired during the event also hold a special place in my heart. 

Understanding Olympic Advertising and Rule 40

The inclusion of advertising throughout the Olympics is an integral part of the success of viewership across the world. But understanding and abiding by the rules of Olympic advertising can be a tricky and controversial topic for companies and participating athletes.   

The International Olympic Committee has established guidelines and rules for partnered brands and athletes to follow throughout the duration of the Olympic games.

There are only 13 Worldwide Olympic Partners that sponsor the Olympic Games: Coca-Cola, Alibaba Group, Atos, Bridgestone, Dow, General Electric, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, Procter & Gamble, Samsung, Toyota, and Visa.

Rule 40 is a important and controversial rule in Olympic advertising, stating "that only approved sponsors may reference "Olympic-related terms". Athletes are extremely opposed to this rule because it makes it almost impossible for them to earn money while competing at the Olympics. 

The promotion of the Olympics and the featured partnered products and  companies is a legendary and impactful portion of the Olympics. The advertisements range from athlete celebration, partnered ads, Olympic family appreciation, and basic promotion for the Olympics. 

Athlete Celebration-

During the Olympic games, the athletes are the stars of the show on a global platform. Partnering and sponsoring athletes during the Olympics is a popular tactic of advertising, especially teaming up with household names such as: Simone Biles, Shaun White, Michael Phelps, and Alex Morgan.

Shaun White 2018 Olympics

Simone Biles Advertisement Compilation

Michael Phelps Under Armour Ad

Partnered Products-

Throughout the duration of the Olympic games, you will see countless sponsored products. While we may not take into account of the amount of advertisements we see, companies cannot afford to miss out on this opportunity to promote their products to a worldwide stage.

Coca-Cola 2016 Olympics

Beats featuring Sha'Carri Richardson & Kanye West

Social Media Advertisements 

Olympic advertisements have dominating on televised broadcasting platforms for years, and today their platform is expanding to the world of social media. Utilizing this expansion, athletes competing in the Olympic games and sponsored products and companies are showcased to new demographics across the world. 

During this years Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, NBC has done full coverage of the games on TikTok. The TikToks range from medal ceremonies to funny compilations and sounds to attract more viewers. 

@nbcolympics Toby Flenderson 🤝 Skeleton Michael Scott: "NOOO"@The Office | @Peacock TV #winterolympics #olympics #theoffice #michaelscott ♬ original sound - NBCOlympics

@nbcolympics Nathan Chen’s quads are a work of art. 🤩 #Olympics #WinterOlympics #NathanChen #QuadKing #Picasso #FigureSkating ♬ Whats this I like it Picasso Yeah datway - ReefaTV

@nbcolympics “Snowboarding, thank you. It's been the love of my life." - Shaun White #WinterOlympics #Olympics #ShaunWhite #Snowboarding #Snowboard #TeamUSA ♬ original sound - NBCOlympics

@nbcolympics Reply to @thisisnotohcae Pt. 2 #minimic interviews with #olympics snowboarders #winterolympics @chloekim @Valentino Guseli @Queralt Castellet ♬ original sound - NBCOlympics

The inclusion of Olympic advertisements on social media platforms are a excellent marketing strategy for companies, athletes, and products to use during the Olympic Games.