{"id":9292,"date":"2021-03-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tegnasandbox.com\/tegna\/advertise\/2021\/03\/05\/going-for-gold-how-to-jumpstart-your-creative-olympic-campaigns\/"},"modified":"2022-02-07T08:42:24","modified_gmt":"2022-02-07T15:42:24","slug":"going-for-gold-how-to-jumpstart-your-creative-olympic-campaigns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/going-for-gold-how-to-jumpstart-your-creative-olympic-campaigns\/","title":{"rendered":"Going for Gold: How to Jumpstart Your Creative Olympic Campaigns"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Olympics are unlike any other sporting event in the world. While our hometown athletes such as <\/span>Sue Bird<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>John Shuster<\/span><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/span>Missy Franklin<\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>train their whole lives for the opportunity to play on the world\u2019s biggest stage, it’s also an opportunity for brands to be right by their side.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

TEGNA\u2019s top creative talent is here to show you how to succeed with Olympic Advertising. Here are three tips from Janeen Vogelaar, Director of Marketing at KARE11<\/a> in Minneapolis; Wes Rodda, Director of Marketing at 11Alive<\/a> in Atlanta; and Dan Meyers, Marketing Director at WGRZ<\/a> in Buffalo. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Running any old creative won\u2019t do.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cThe Olympics are something special,\u201d says Vogelaar. \u201cThe Games are full of moments that people talk about for years. They remember the time, place, and magic those moments made. Advertisers can be a part of that halo<\/span>.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s why it’s so important to run new creative that will stand out. \u201cEveryone needs to step up their game. Your messages are going to be showcased with some of the biggest and most creative companies out there,” said Meyers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rodda meanwhile, urges Olympic advertisers to not focus their ads on selling a product, as tempting as it might be. Instead, the creative should focus on telling the story of what your brand represents. <\/span>\u201cI think advertisers need to be open to doing things that might be out of their comfort zone,\u201d Rodda told TMS. \u201cThe world\u2019s athletes will be coming together as the pandemic is hopefully winding down. There\u2019s going to even more emotion this year than Olympics in recent memory. If your brand messages aren\u2019t the right tone, your creative isn\u2019t going to be effective.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He also suggests asking a few questions to inform <\/span>creative<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAside from sales, what does your brand stand for? What\u2019s the problem you\u2019re solving? What is the connection the brand has to people? Is it that the relationship they have with their clients?\u201d Rodda concludes, \u201cCreate a marketing message that isn’t about pushing a product, but creating a field.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Myers adds, \u201cIf I’m a home center place, maybe this isn\u2019t the time to say we’ve got hammers on sale. It could be, but you really want to take the time and associate yourself with the Olympics, to show the pride that you have in the community and the pride that you have in USA athletes.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Making Emotional Connections with Themes of Unity, Community, & Optimism<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s be frank, 2020 was awful. In 2021, the Olympics are a beacon of that emotional release.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to think about the mindset of those who are watching the Games. They want the optimism, the hope, and to cheer their team on – even if it\u2019s a sport that nobody\u2019s seen before. You know how curling gets so big every year?\u201d says Volegaar. \u201cI think that that optimism is an important thing to think about.\u201d <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rodda agrees. \u201cWith the context of last year, I feel like the message is inspiration. It’s hope it’s a better future. It’s unity.\u201d Rodda added. \u201cThere’s just a feel-good electricity when you watch the Olympics, and this applies to brand messaging too.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf the Games can be emotional, why can’t your brand messaging be?\u201d asks Meyers. \u201cBe sure to think about themes of positivity, unity, togetherness, diversity, and a quest for greatness.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One campaign that exemplifies these themes almost perfectly, is\u00a0<\/span>P&G\u2019s Thank You Mom<\/span><\/a>\u00a0campaign that ran at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. In these ads, P&G celebrates Olympians\u2019 mothers – the ones who had to get up for 5 a.m. practice, the ones who made breakfast, washed uniforms, helped coach, and cheered from the stands.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the successful creative you see,\u00a0<\/span>like P&G\u2019s Thank you Mom<\/span>, parallel a local advertiser\u2019s story,\u201d says Vogelaar. \u201cThe ads show that they’re also the ones cheering for these athletes like their parents are, and it shows them as humans and neighbors in the community. <\/span>These are young kids who have been pushing and fighting and trying to get to this end goal for a long time,\u201d she says. <\/span>\u201cI think it’s a similar fight for small business owners who have been trying to achieve their goals. It\u2019s very relatable for the consumer. They’ll think \u2018I’m just like them. They are like me, I’ve got to support them.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n