For some brands, the best approach to the Olympics is to not be there [Video]

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are in full swing with a festival of sport underway in the French capital. But the Games aren’t only about sport. They’re big business, and a huge opportunity for brands. At least for those that get things right.

We’ve seen no shortage of Paris 2024 design controversies around the Games themselves but also cases of brands hitting the wrong tone in Olympics-oriented marketing, whether they mention the event directly or only allude to it (I’m looking at you Nike and Google). To explore what makes a successful Olympic brand activation, and what brands should avoid, I caught up with Jenna Isken, Group Director, Experience, at the branding agency Siegel+Gale to talk dos and don’ts of Olympics marketing.

The potential of the Olympics Games for brands 

There can be no doubt that the Olympics are a golden opportunity for brands. Jenna …