2024 Summer Olympics Marketing Ideas

The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad hosted in Paris, France, are scheduled to kick off on July 26. And as the world eagerly awaits, Team USA is gearing up for the competition, promising to make their fans here in the States proud!

In the spirit of the Games and the feelings of patriotism the Olympics evoke in fans across the globe, Americans will be looking for fun ways to showcase their pride and love for the stars, stripes, red, white, and blue. As billions of fans tune in to watch the action, the Olympic Games are a source of entertainment and a prime advertising opportunity for businesses of all sizes.

Here are some fun ways your business can leverage the spirit of the Games to engage customers and grow!

Tailor Your Creative Messaging & Promotions to the Olympic Games

Compelling ad creatives are essential in Olympic advertising. They must cut through the clutter of numerous ads to prevent audience fatigue. This is best achieved when the ad features Olympic-specific content and taps into the creative excitement of the games.

Aim to tap into the spirit of the competition, pride, and patriotism the games embody. For videos and reels, consider featuring patriotic music.

Choose the Right Advertising Medium

After crafting an Olympic-specific campaign, the next critical step is choosing the best advertising medium for your brand. This will be online, social media, and email marketing campaigns for most businesses and brands.

Some ideas include:

• Reskin your website to feature the flag, stars and stripes, or red, white, and blue
• Incorporate these elements into your email marketing and social media campaigns
• Create a unique promo code or campaign for specific sports or events within the Games
• Offer a special discount for Gold Medals won
• Create a unique gift with purchase that is only available for purchases made during the Games Custom stickers are a great option! You may also consider “awarding” gold medals to your VIP customers who purchase $X. (These may also be used below to show your pride.)

Show Your Pride

After creating your messaging and selecting how best to share it, it’s time to show your pride!

For brick-and-mortar businesses:

• Prominently feature products that are red, white, and blue
• Adorn your storefront with flags, stars and stripes, or red, white, and blue
• Consider designing patriotic signage and custom posters to decorate your store
• If feasible, encourage your staff to wear red, white, blue, and/or patriotic colors or purchase gold medals for them to wear throughout the duration of the Games
• Leverage the gifts with purchase mentioned above

For online businesses and brands:

• Create collections based on patriotic themes
• Offer complimentary purchase ideas
• Create a patriotic promo code
• Include the gifts with purchase mentioned above in all shipped orders

Please note:  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has regulations around advertising the Olympics, including Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter, which restricts athletes and others from appearing in advertisements without permission during and before the Games. The rule was created to protect the value of Olympic sponsors, who receive little to no in-stadia branding and can’t have their logos on athletes’ uniforms. 

“Rule 40” restricts marketing activities that can reference Olympic athletes, terms, and imagery during a designated “blackout” period around the Olympics. This regulation was established by the IOC to protect the exclusivity of Olympic sponsors and maintain the focus on athletes during the games.

Rule 40’s blackout period typically begins just before the Opening Ceremony and extends through the end of the games. During the blackout, athletes cannot promote non-official Olympic sponsors through ads or social media referencing their Olympic participation.

Advertisers cannot use the term “Olympics” in their advertising or use the official logo of the Games or the iconic rings. If you are not an official sponsor of the games, you cannot use Olympic branding. That includes using Olympic-related verbiage, logos, competing athletes (unless you have received a waiver from the IOC), music, or images. 

Non-sponsored brands are also barred from using official pictures, results, and trademarked phrases or words with accompanying hashtags and meta tags.

Enjoy the Games and GO Team USA!