The Olympic Gold in Brand Strategy: A New Playbook for Digital Engagement
Unofficial Partner 's latest podcast offers a deep dive into the digital and sponsorship landscape of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Host Richard Gillis was joined by KORE 's own RJ Kraus , Head of Sponsorship Intelligence and co-founder of Hookit , which KORE acquired in 2022, and Alex Balfour , co-founder of Generate Digital and former Head of Digital at London 2012. Together they explore what worked, what didn't, and how brands adapt in our rapidly evolving digital world.
While we're all trying to squeeze out what's left of summer, you can breeze through the highlighted moments and key takeaways from the podcast, or listen to the 38-minute session here.
Insights for Brand Leaders
The Paris 2024 Olympics weren’t just a stage for athletes – but a proving ground for brand strategies in the digital age. This Summer's Games set the bar as the most socially engaged Olympics yet.
“The engagement this year was off the charts – double the posts, double the engagement, and eight times more video views than Tokyo,” said Kraus.
Brands that stood out, like 谷歌 and 新百伦 , didn’t just rely on traditional ads. They created and leveraged real, relatable content that was in sync with what fans were already talking about. Google’s collaboration with breakdancer Victor Montalvo on a Gemini AI post that reached 67 million views is a prime example of a campaign hitting the sweet spot of relevance and resonance.
KORE's Valuation Model
Kraus emphasized the importance of authenticity: “In this environment, content has to feel natural and connected to the athlete’s story, or it falls flat.” Whether it’s jumping on a viral moment or amplifying winning moments, brands that were nimble and in tune with their audience’s emotions outperformed the rest.
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What About Snoop?
Snoop Dogg was the surprise hit of the Paris 2024 Olympics, bringing his iconic style and humor to the global stage. His involvement was part of NBC’s influencer strategy, and despite initial skepticism, the decision paid off big time.
“Some people within the Olympic family raised an eyebrow, but Snoop’s introduction as an influencer turned out to be a massive success.” - Alex Balfour
What made Snoop different? Unlike many influencers who “come in, do their bit, and leave,” Snoop went all in, delivering content that felt both real and engaging. Alex highlighted that Snoop wasn’t just showing up—he was genuinely invested: “It’s not just that he’s Uber famous and iconic, but the fact that he was all over it and genuinely enjoying the events.”
The results speak for themselves. According to KORE’s 2024 Paris Olympics Sponsorship Recap, Snoop’s video content generated more views than any athlete, proving that pop culture and sports can create a winning combination when done right.
The Challenge of Olympic Digital Strategy
“The Olympics is still a unique property because of the sheer volume of activity that takes place over a short period. You need guidance—editorial, algorithmic, or even just friend recommendations—because you can’t consume everything, and that’s what makes digital strategy for the Olympics a massive challenge," said Alex Balfour.
As Paris 2024 showed, the old rules no longer apply. Brands need to think less about static impressions and more about dynamic, real-time storytelling. In this new era of digital engagement, agility, and authenticity are the real gold medals.