The Power of the Olympic ImageBrand

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The Power of the Olympic Image/Brand

• Karen Webb, Group Manager
• Marketing Communications

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Fundamental principles of the Olympic Movement

• Olympism is a philosophy of life
• Sport at the service of the harmonious
  development of man
• Peace through sport
• Universal, non-discriminatory

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The Olympic Image

• The Olympic Games is the worlds premiere
  sporting and cultural event
• The Olympic Rings are the most recognised symbol
  in the world
• The image of the Olympics is one based on
  fundamental principles and ideals, as such,
  Olympism is associated with values - not just
  about sport
• Worldwide Partners and broadcasters align
  themselves with the Olympic Movement mostly to
  associate with the Olympic Image
• Olympic Image is visually presented at the
  Olympic Games - Look strengthens our image

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Understanding the Olympic ImageGlobal Brand
Tracking

• IOC commissioned a global brand/image
  assessment to
• understand how people feel about the Olympic
  image
• to assume that any strategy to promote the
  Olympic image protects, builds and leverages the
  Olympic Movement and its image
• to ensure that the Olympic image would be
  marketed consistently around the world
• provide sponsors with much-needed brand
  information
• provide NOCs/OCOGs with supportive evidence to
  use in selling to national sponsors
• provide Broadcasters with information on the
  appeal and power of the Olympic image
• provides partners, broadcasts and OCOGs with the
  foundation for building their Games-time image
  and Olympic-associated activities

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Methodology

• Interviews were conducted in 11 countries around
  the world in May/June 2002, following the Salt
  Lake City Games. The study included respondents
  aged 12 and older, in the following countries
• Australia Japan
• Brazil Russia
• China Senegal
• France United Kingdom
• Greece United States
• Italy
• 600 interviews per country, with the exception of
  the U.S.A. where there were 1,100.
• In each country, 100 of the interviews are with
  youth age 12 to 17.

Countries where image has been tracked in 1998,
1999, 2000 and 2002
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Consumers ranked the following attributes for
both association and importance on a 0-10
point scale
List of 39 Attributes from Consumers
American Arrogant Being the best Celebration Comme
rcialised Determination Distant
aloof Dynamic Equality Heritage
tradition Inspirational Integrity Multi-cultural P
articipation Patriotic Peaceful Powerful Pure Self
ish Showy
A chance to escape Commercialised Dignified Eterna
l Exclusive Exploitative Fair competition Festive
Friendship Global Honourable Modern Political Resp
ectful Self-centered Striving Trustworthy Unbiased
Unity Worldly
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Measurement of Consumers image of the Olympics
place these attributes in one of four quadrants
Strong association High importance -- the
brands positive emotional and aspirational
benefits
Low association High importance -- potential
emotional liabilities not closely associated w/
the brand
Low association Low importance -- potential
functional or low salience emotional
liabilities not closely associated w/ the brand
Strong association Low importance -- the
brands positive functional benefits
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Brand Olympics key attributes are positive,
emotional and aspirational. The Olympics are not
closely associated with attributes that create a
negative image.
High Importance
Being the best
Respectful
Trustworthy
Striving
Dynamic
Political
Relative importance in shaping overall positive
regard for the Olympics (s are standardized
beta co-efficients)
Friendship
Eternal
Commercialized
Heritage tradition
Participation
Peaceful
Celebration
Unity
Dignified
Honorable
Self-centered
Fair competition
Inspirational
Distant and aloof
Global
Patriotic
Modern
Strong Association
Degree of association with the Olympics 0 not
associated,10extremely strongly associated.
9
Consumers do not closely associate negative
attributes with the Olympics
HighImportance
9
Equality
8
(Attributes from previous page)
Integrity
Unbiased
Eternal
7
Pure
6
Commercialized
High Association
LowAssociation
3
4
5
6
7
8
Showy
Exploitative
Self-centered
4
Political
Escapist
American
Distant aloof
3
Selfish
Arrogant
LowImportance
2
10
The Power of Brand Olympic
Eight attributes most closely associated with the
Olympics and most important to creating positive
regard for it

• Being the best
• Dynamic
• Friendship
• Eternal

• Participation
• Respectful
• Striving
• Trustworthy

These key attributes are very closely associated
with the Olympics, as observed in 2000 and
earlier. Being commercialized has consistently
become less closely associated with the Olympics,
since 1998.
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The Olympics generate tremendous goodwill around
the world.
The Olympics represent the very best of sport
The Olympics create a feeling of peace and harmony
Theres something for everyone in the Olympics
Nothing brings the World together like the
Olympics
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The Olympics generate tremendous goodwill around
the world.
Australia 84 83 79 80
The Olympics represent the very best of sport
The Olympics create a feeling of peace and harmony
Theres something for everyone in the Olympics
Nothing brings the World together like the
Olympics
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the POWER of Olympic Imagery

• 93 unprompted awareness - greater than the
  prompted awareness for any other symbols
• 86 agree the Rings represent the worlds top
  sporting event
• 74 associate the Rings with success and high
  standards

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Olympic image tracking research highlights

• Brand Olympics key attributes are positive,
  emotional and aspirational.
• The Olympics are not closely associated with
  attributes that create a negative image.
• There is tremendous goodwill toward the Games.
• The Games are agreed to represent the very best
  in sport and to create a feeling of peace and
  harmony.
• There is goodwill toward the Games sponsors too.
• Seven in ten welcome commercial associations
  with the Olympics if it helps keep the Olympics
  going and recognize Olympic sponsors help
  support sport development throughout the world

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TrackingOlympicImageAssociation

• Table tracks results among those aged 16 to 49 in
  Brazil, China, France, Russia, Senegal, USA
• Measuring the degree to which respondents
  associate the Olympics with each of these
  adjectives, where 10 means strongly associated
  and 0 means not at all associated.

Only changes of 0.5/10 are considered notable
(bold). Smaller changes worthy of observation.
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The unique breadth of Brand Olympics appeal is
evident in its ability to house seemingly
contradictory equities (e.g., dignified and
festive)

• Best of the Best
• Patriotic
• Competitive

• Equal
• Participation
• Peaceful

• Youthful
• Festive
• Dynamic

• Traditional
• Dignified
• Enduring

Brand Olympic Core Equities
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The Olympic equities closely match the basic
principles of the Olympic Charter created in 1894
SELECT PRINCIPLES FROM THE OLYMPIC CHARTER
CONSUMER-DEFINED EQUITIES
Exalting and combining in a balanced whole the
qualities of body, will, and mind
Striving Being the best
Blending sport with culture and education
Multi-cultural, worldly, dignified
Placing sport at the service of the harmonious
development of man
Peaceful, respectful
Sport practiced without discrimination . . . in a
spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play
Friendship, participation, fair play
Universal and permanent activity . . . covering
five continents
Unity, global, heritage/tradition
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This translates into 4 strong positions
BRANDESSENCE
OPTIONS
BRAND PROMISE
HOPE
The Olympics offers hope for a better world and
life through sport competition for all without
discrimination
DREAMS INSPIRATION
The Olympics provides the people of the world
with the inspiration to achieve their personal
dreams in sport and in life
FRIENDSHIP FAIR PLAY
The Olympics demonstrates global friendship and
fair play through sport competition for all --
without discrimination
JOY IN EFFORT
The Olympics celebrates the universal joy in
effort through sport competition that is always
intense, friendly and fair
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GLOBAL IMAGE TRACKING

• Helped to articulate attributes/values through
  concrete data
• Proved the power of the Olympic Movement vs.
  other sporting or competitive properties
• Encouraged/validated partners alignment of their
  marketing campaigns with the Olympic image
• From Research to the Olympic Image Campaign
• Research was the foundation to develop the
  worldwide promotional programme

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Celebrate Humanity

• 2000 Summer Campaign
• 2002 Winter Campaign