Olympic Marketing 2.0: how brands are winning gold through unity, not just sponsorship [Video]

The Olympic rings no longer guarantee marketing gold. As the torch passes from Paris 2024 to Los Angeles 2028, savvy brands are rewriting the playbook, transforming the world’s biggest sporting event into a catalyst for unity and social change. Here’s how the most innovative players are breaking away from the pack.

The new podium: engagement over exposure

Forget logo saturation and feel-good montages. Today’s Olympic brand champions are:

• Storytellers with substance: Bandit Running’s ‘Unsponsored Project‘ (see above) gives athletes logo-free gear, spotlighting Olympic dreamers’ financial challenges. Result? Millions of views and 12,000 new followers in a week.
• Inclusion catalysts: Intel’s VR experiences for mobility-impaired fans didn’t just innovate – they opened the Games to a whole new audience. Result? A top score for disability inclusion by the American Association of People with Disabilities.
• Cultural …