The Olympics: a marketing masterclass

Beyond the great campaigns from official sponsors like McDonald’s, the Games served as a reminder that emotion can be a positive thing in marketing, and proved that attachment to a cause can be powerful. “At a time when consumers are grappling with the emotional fall-out of the recession, showing you are on their side is everything.”

Other lessons include the power of volunteers—“their enthusiasm was contagious, and we were treated to a view of what corporate Britain could be like if people actually cared about what they were doing”—and of quirkiness—“Britain is a nation of eccentrics… do anything except bore consumers.” It also proved the value of positive role medals like Team GB’s medal winners.

But the Olympics also had important tips for those trying to officially link their brands to the Games. “The flurry of articles on brand police telling butchers and bakers to remove Olympic rings from their shop windows was counter-productive and helped create a climate where sponsors were the default scapegoat for empty seats at Olympic venues. Rights holders must strike the right balance between protecting their assets and appearing as fat cats at odds with consumers.”

For the full story, see Top 10 marketing lessons from the Olympic Games.