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Many people are watching Paralympic sports for the first time. However, the growing understanding of the individual disciplines has further increased spectator engagement. Find out more about how the Paralympics are helping spectators to better understand the sports and how companies can capitalize on this momentum through inclusion, strategic partnerships and targeted marketing strategies.
After the exceptional success of this year’s Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games continue that spirit and are owning the stage in the Paris 2024 Games. This year marks the most egalitarian Paralympics to date, and Paralympic broadcasting reached a new milestone with a monumental 1,450 hours of live coverage. Over 4,400 athletes are competing in 549 medal events, including an unheard-of 236 medal events dedicated to women’s competitions alone. Following the record-breaking success of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with over 9.5 million tickets sold, the Paralympics are set to make history with unprecedented participation and global reach. 65,000 spectators watched the spectacular Paralympic Opening Ceremony unfold in the heart of Paris on August 28th. More than 2 million tickets have been sold to date, including 1 million tickets sold during the past month. According to official Paralympics records, most ticket holders will be watching the Paris Games for the first time. 52% of ticket holders are coming to Paris for the first time to attend the Paralympic Games, and many of them will be watching Paralympic Sports for the first time as well.
One key message has emerged in preparing to increase the fanbase and viewership surrounding the Paralympic Games: educate and excite — knowledge is pivotal to increasing viewer engagement. With this in mind, Allianz, the official Worldwide Insurance Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, kicked off a collaboration with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Paris 2024 to make Paralympic sports more accessible to a broader audience and easier to understand. Under the umbrella of the Paris 2024 brand, the partnership was eager to create a series of engaging videos to highlight the 22 Paralympic disciplines and their rules and categories.
Despite being somewhat similar to their Olympic counterparts, para-sports have many unique rules, permissible equipment, and, most importantly, athletic classifications related to individual abilities in sporting performance in order to ensure fair competition. There are even two sports exclusive to the Paralympics: Boccia and Goalball. Research has shown that while many people might be interested in watching the Paralympics, unfamiliarity with the rules or gameplay has created a barrier to viewership. Thus, the main goal was not only to create easy-to-understand, short sports explainers but also to find a visual language that viewers could relate to while upholding the spirit of the Paris 2024 Games.
The Munich-based creative studio Kreatives was asked to bring this vision to life and create accessible, aesthetic, and fun-to-watch video guides explaining different paralympic sports. The multidisciplinary creative team, which had honed their unique blend of skills, knew that the challenge was right up their alley — they could bring a fresh perspective to the table. With a combined passion for telling human-centered stories and using creativity as a force of good, they were able to apply their diverse experience in sports, science, and educational industries throughout the project.
In collaboration with a team of international animators and world-class illustrators, they created a series of illustrations and animated guides that delve into the nuances of each sport in the most creative way possible. Collaborating closely with the International Paralympic Committee, Sports Federations, Partners, and the Paralympic teams, they ensured that the authenticity and accuracy of each video underwent rigorous fact-checking at every stage of the process. Roughly 20 people were part of the core team who worked with more than 50 people spread across the different organizations.
Each sport has its own look and feel, without violating the general guidelines of the Paris 2024 brand. The videos were inspired by the Paris 2024 brand by bringing art and athletics together and showcasing the city's rich cultural heritage. Famous French masterpieces by artists such as Monet, Degas, Delacroix and many others inspired the individual sports thumbnails. Each video has been reinterpreted by a team of world-class illustrators, animators and designers in a new, unique illustration style with a touch of nostalgia, giving each guide the spotlight it deserves.
Watch the IPC x Allianz para sport explainers here.
Since all Paralympic Games are being broadcast worldwide for the first time this year, the Para sports will be a novelty to a whole spectrum of the global audience. Leading up to the opening ceremony on August 28th, the explainers went viral on most social media channels, including YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. With the start of the Games, the videos are also being made available worldwide to broadcasters, as well as the Paris 2024 venues, to help provide an introduction to the upcoming match. The reach has surpassed anything we had imagined, and the resonance has been incredibly positive, resulting in increased engagement throughout all social media channels and being reshared across various platforms.
The views on the official YouTube channel of the Paralympic Sports Explainer Series skyrocketed during the first days of the Games, some jumping from 20k to over 250k views in only one day. Accompanied by the successful TikTok strategy of the Paralympics, the videos have been celebrated for their unique blend of creativity, bold style, and humor while keeping the athlete’s point of view at the forefront of each video. With over 13+ million views on TikTok, 3.5+ million views on Instagram, and 2.5+ million on YouTube, we can confidently say that the animated guides have enormously succeeded in engaging new viewers and giving each sport a custom stage presence.
Inclusion and diversity as a brand boost
The 2024 Paralympics show once again how important it is to incorporate inclusion and diversity into marketing campaigns. Brands that showcase Paralympic athletes and sports not only expand their reach, but also strengthen their values and gain the trust of the community.
Use strategic partnerships
If you want to be successful, you should rely on strategic partnerships. They help companies to expand their reach and position themselves positively in the public eye. This in turn opens up new market opportunities. The cooperation between Allianz and the International Paralympic Committee demonstrates how strategic partnerships can promote the success of major events.
Data-driven storytelling
Standardized marketing is a thing of the past. Companies should develop targeted content strategies on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram in order to address their target groups effectively and achieve maximum reach. The success of the Paralympics on social media should be the wake-up call for your brand to rely on the power of data-based, personalized content.
The Paris 2024 Paralympics benefit significantly from the marketing of the Olympic Games, which generates billions in revenue from global brands such as Coca-Cola, Samsung and Airbnb. However, the World Games for People with Disabilities even have one more major sponsor. All information on sponsors, partners and donors.
The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris (August 28 to September 8) will benefit significantly from the revenue generated by the marketing of the Olympic Games. Since 2021, a contract concluded three years earlier has also guaranteed TOP Olympic sponsors the marketing rights to the Paralympics. Accordingly, the sponsors of the Olympic and Paralympic Games are identical - with one exception. The Paris Paralympics have an additional top sponsor in the form of prosthesis, orthosis and wheelchair specialist Ottobock. This is made possible by a special clause because the company earns its money in a different business area to the 15 top Olympic sponsors and therefore does not compete with them.
The current contract between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) runs until 2032, which means that the IPC will have sold its marketing rights to the IOC by then.
IOC President Thomas Bach speaks of a "substantial sum" that the IPC will receive through the joint marketing of both major events. However, it is estimated to be in the double-digit million range. Official figures are last known from the 2010 and 2012 Paralympic Games: Back then, the IPC received 14 million dollars from the IOC for marketing and TV rights. By comparison, the IOC is said to have received an estimated three billion dollars in the cycle with the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing and the 2024 Summer Games. The transfer to the IPC is only a fraction of this.
The worldwide interest in the Paralympics is growing steadily - also due to pressure from society and sponsors. TV images from Paris 2024 will be shown in at least 160 countries. US rights holder NBC, for example, only covered six hours of the 2012 Paralympics in London - in Paris it will be over 1600 hours on TV and livestream. In Germany, ARD and ZDF will present the Paralympics in alternating days, just like the Olympic Games before them: live sport is planned between 11:00 and 15:00, with many additional hours of live streaming available in the ARD and ZDF media libraries. As a "historic milestone", the Paralympics will be shown in prime time on selected evenings. ARD will be on air on September 2 and 4 from 8.15 p.m. - including the long jump final with the German Paralympics top star Markus Rehm can be seen live. "That will put a grin on our faces. It's a great platform to showcase our achievements and make people even more interested in our sport," says Rehm.
More TV broadcasts also increase the interest of sponsors and the sports industry in the Paralympics. The host city of Paris supports this with a uniform image of the Olympics and Paralympics. The logos The only difference is that the Paralympics will feature three colored arches instead of the five Olympic rings.
The red cap mascot is also identical except for a prosthetic leg for the Paralympics. Many major sponsors are also running joint campaigns for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Citi's "Stare at Greatness" or Toyota's "Start Your Impossible" are good examples of this. Visa financially supports 46 Paralympic athletes alongside 92 Olympians. At Toyota, 7 of the 13 athletes supported are people with disabilities. And Bridgestone exclusively sponsors Paralympic athletes in the USA.
Adidas, as sponsor of Team Germany, handled the clothing for the Paralympics and Olympics together. Just like the posters and the announcement of the contract extension always showed athletes from both major events. Exciting for the sponsors: Paralympic athletes often present unique stories of resilience and strength.
This has only been the case since 1988 (Summer Games) and 1992 (Winter Games). In 2001, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) signed a general contract for the first time under the slogan "One bid, one city". This means that the same city will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This contract was extended until 2032 as part of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The IPC President is also a member of the IOC.
The list of Worldwide Paralympic Partners for Paris 2024 is identical to the top global sponsors for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with one exception. With Ottobock, a specialist in prostheses, orthoses and wheelchairs, the Paralympics even have one more global partner than the Olympic Games.
There have been changes to the TOP program compared to the last Olympic cycle: Allianz and Deloitte have replaced Dow and GE. The supporters in the other sponsor categories are also identical, as the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee also marketed the Olympic and Paralympic Games together. The sponsors and partners at a glance:
Worldwide Paralympic Partners:
Company
Sector
Also in the top program of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since
Coca-Cola/Mengniu
Soft drinks/dairy products
1986 (continuous Olympic sponsor since 1928) - first joint top sponsorship agreement with Chinese dairy group Mengniu
Airbnb
Accommodation offers
2019
Alibaba
Cloud services and e-commerce
2017
Allianz
Insurance
2021
Atos
IT
1992
Bridgestone
Tires
2014
Deloitte
Management and business consulting
2022
Intel
Processors and chips
2017
Omega
Watches
2003
Ottobock
Prostheses, orthoses, wheelchairs
Worldwide Partner of the International Paralympic Committee since 2005. Only Olympic Supporter of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games
Panasonic
Consumer electronics
1987
Procter & Gamble
Hygiene products
2010
Samsung
Communication and electronics
1997
Toyota
Vehicles and mobility
2015
Visa
Payment service provider
1986
Further sponsors:
Olympic and Paralympic Premium Partners
Olympic and Paralympic Official Partners
Olympic and Paralympic Official Supporters
Accor
Groupe ADP
Abatable
Groupe BPCE
Air France
ABEO
Carrefour
ArcelorMittal
Air Liquide
EDF
Caisse des Dépôts
airweave
LVMH
Cisco
Aquatique Show
Orange
CMA CGM
Arena
Sanofi
Danone
CRYSTAL
Decathlon
Doublet Wasserman
FDJ
DXC Technology
GL Events
Egis
Île-de-France Mobilités
Enedis
Le Coq Sportif
ES Global
PwC
Eviden
Fitness Park
Fnac Darty
Gerflor
Garden Gourmet
RATP Group
Terraillon
Highfield
Hype
Indigo
La Poste
Loxam
Lyreco
Miko
Mondo
MTD
Myrtha Pools
OnePlan
Optik2000
Rapiscan Systems
Ranstad
Re-uz
RGS Events
Saint-Gobain
Salesforce
SCC
Schneider Electric
SLX
SCNF
Sodexo Live!
Syndicat des Eaux d'Île-de-France
Technogym
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Tourtel Twist
VINCI
Viparis
Westfield
For the IOC's usual four-year cycle as a sponsor or partner, the 14 global partners cost at least a three-digit million sum. The joint contract of two companies is record-breaking: Veteran Olympic partner Coca Cola and the Chinese dairy company Mengniu are paying an estimated three billion dollars to the IOC for the Olympic Games from 2021 to 2032.
Bridgestone and Panasonic will each pay 200 to 250 million dollars for four years for their status as a global partner. Airbnb is said to have signed an eight-year contract until 2028 with payments of 500 million dollars.
Products and services from the global sponsors and other partners are used at the sports venues and by the athletes. For example, Omega chronographs are used for timekeeping at competitions. Entertainment electronics for the athletes come from Samsung. At the Paralympic and Olympic sports venues in Paris fans can only buy Coca-Cola products at a hefty price of 4 euros per cup.
The sponsors and partners are the only brands that have the right to use the famous Olympic rings and Paralympic symbols in their marketing activities.
Sports marketing is a very dynamic area of sports management and has always been in a state of constant change. External influences such as technological innovations and legal, social or political changes constantly present new challenges to established business models, previously successful approaches and conventional approaches to sports marketing. The constantly and dynamically changing framework conditions with the resulting new opportunities, chances and possibilities quickly make previous marketing concepts in sport appear outdated and no longer up to date and therefore require appropriate action from the players in sports management in order to remain competitive in the future or to be able to remain competitive in the long term. The three biggest trends are examined in this article.
The principle of evolutionary theory, i.e. the principle of "survival of the fittest" postulated by Charles Darwin, also applies to modern sports marketing and figuratively states: in the long term, only those (companies) that have the ability to best adapt to the prevailing - and constantly changing - (market) conditions will survive. The term "fittest" does not mean "the strongest", as is often wrongly assumed, but stands for "the best adapted (to the currently prevailing conditions)".
In order to always be able to react appropriately to the latest developments and trends and to adapt one's own company to the new market conditions in the best possible way in terms of the economic concept of "organizational adaptation", it is therefore necessary for all stakeholders in international sports marketing:
In this article we would therefore like to - in addition to this article - 3 further innovative developments and trends that are already having a profound impact on sports marketing and will have an even greater impact in the future. Knowledge and understanding of these phenomena is essential for decision-makers in sports management in order to position themselves competitively for the future.
The trends at a glance:
These technologies have certainly been around for some time, but concretely usable offers in the sports sector only exist in a niche and have not yet reached the mass market of billions of sports fans worldwide.
Hans-Dieter Gurk, technology expert and Managing Director of digital marketing agency Fellowkids, also believes that "AR and VR technology is still in its infancy". He also predicts that "the big breakthrough of these technologies is still to come", which will "fundamentally change the way fans around the world perceive and consume sport" and therefore "these developments could revolutionize sports marketing in the future.
For precisely this reason, there is still immense marketing and revenue potential for sports rights holders such as clubs, associations, leagues and, above all, all organizers of sporting competitions in this area in the future. Further hologram technologies as well as innovative hardware solutions and glasses such as the Oculus Rift and Apple Vision Pro will further accelerate these developments.
Sports marketing decision-makers therefore have the opportunity to seize the moment and jump on board this future-oriented technology trend in good time. For competitive sports marketing of the future, it is important to identify the corresponding usage options now, create existing revenue potential in the AR and VR cosmos and implement them through appropriate product and service offerings so that your own company will benefit in the future by making the best possible use of the opportunities offered by these immersive technologies!
1st NBA Virtual and Mixed Reality Games
The NBA offers virtual reality broadcasts of games where fans can enjoy a 360-degree view of the court. This enables an immersive experience that differs significantly from traditional television.
2. augmented reality at the DFL Supercup
In addition to the AR usage option in the stadium, an AR offering for viewers at home is to be created in the future to make watching the match even more interactive and immersive.
3rd Manchester City VR Experience
The club has developed its own VR platform that allows fans to enjoy a virtual stadium experience. In combination with exclusive content and interactions, this creates a new form of fan engagement. For example, stadium tours or match broadcasts are offered in VR.
4th Formula 1 AR Experience
Formula 1 uses augmented reality to give spectators detailed insights into race cars and tracks. For example, fans can follow the race interactively from the driver's perspective and change their view independently or call up technical information and interactive 3D models via a special app.
The influence of social media is massive in today’s age. According to Statista, as of April 2024, 62.6% of the world’s population are social media users. It is no coincidence then that companies are pursuing the power of social media platforms for efficient brand promotion. And sports nutrition brands are no exception - in fact it’s much more relevant for them.
Valued at USD 45.24 billion in 2023, the global sports nutrition market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% from 2024 to 2030. To grab a piece of this lucrative pie, Sports businesses are leaning towards using social media as an extension of their marketing strategies.
Sports and fitness are inherently social activities, whether it’s team sports, gym workouts, or Pilates. This social nature implies that there is always a possibility to influence, encourage, and build a community of consumers; all aspects that are built into characteristics of social media (SM).
Besides, sports fans and fitness enthusiasts are turning to social media channels to stay connected with their favourite sports celeb or fitness instructor. By congregating their target audience in one place, social media gives instant access to a potential pool of consumers.
Statistically, according to a survey by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), sports nutrition is the second most popular category of supplements consumed by people. And 18-34 years is the age group that constitutes 41% of the target audience for supplements. This is the same age group that spends a significant amount of time on social media sites.
They are the ones to be influenced first, to step ‘outdoor’ following the insta-worthy lifestyle of their admired celebrities.
The advantages of using Social Media Marketing to promote sports nutrition brand should be a no-brainer by now:
Social media has emerged as the dominant channel for brands to communicate with their consumers. It is especially beneficial for start-ups and niche companies like sports nutrition brands that are keen to expand reach and brand awareness.
A carefully planned Social Media Marketing strategy is imperative to harness the limitless potential that social media offers. Creating compelling content, leveraging partnerships and influencer marketing, analyzing performance, and engaging with the audience are powerful tools that can propel your brand’s reach.
An omnichannel approach is needed to stay ahead in the competitive sports nutrition market. And in the current scenario, social media is the definitive tool you need in your marketing arsenal. As Erik Qualman, American Author of Socialnomics, says, "We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media; the question is, how well we do it."