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With the Olympics around the corner and sports marketing on the rise — especially where women’s teams and female players are concerned — it’s no shock that this year’s Cannes Lions Entertainment for Sport Grand Prix winner went to Orange, the French telecom giant responsible for the deepfake ‘WoMen’s’ football spot.
The AI-powered spot makes a genius show of the fact that female athletes are just as powerful, impressive, and exciting to watch as their male counterparts. And it paves the way for a higher standard in sports marketing that brims with engagement potential for all kinds of brands.
Ready to get in the game? Take a look at how four industry leaders are writing a new sports marketing playbook this season.
E.l.f. — Lip Oil Change
Best OOH Activation
Campaign Details
This spring, E.l.f. Cosmetics stepped out as the first-ever beauty brand to serve as primary sponsor of an Indianapolis 500 driver: the legendary Katherine Legge, and the only woman to compete in May’s race. Decked out in an e.l.f.-branded suit, helmet, and wrapped car for what is considered the largest single-day sporting event in the world, Legge led the way for “Lip Oil Change,” an on-site activation celebrating the nine female drivers who have participated in the Indy 500 over the event’s 108-year history.
The increase in ROI for brands that buy into women’s sports is a phenomenon unlike anything in marketing.
– Layton Lassiter, co-founder at Gray Wolf
Why it Stands Out
With a team of make-up artists, limited-edition merch, a DJ, and more, the racetrack-themed experience became the perfect tie-in to e.l.f.’s star product: the Glow Reviver Lip Oil. But they didn’t forget the fans at home. In addition to giving away a year’s supply of lip oils to 500 lucky loyalty program members, the campaign’s strong social media push included influencer content across channels as well as an interactive racing Snapchat AR lens, Roblox experience, and livestreaming via Twitch — ensuring engagement across multiple audience sets.
We believe inclusivity gives communities who are so passionate about something like racing a win-win outcome because it brings more people into the tent as fans, talent and sponsors.
To widen the net even further with its message of inclusivity, the company concurrently launched another sports-related campaign. Featuring tennis star and equity advocate Billie Jean King, “Change the Board Game” seeks to even the playing field by getting more women and diverse candidates on corporate boards.
Expert Insight
“At e.l.f., we want to see more women in the driver’s seat – whether in the boardroom, on the court, in the stands or on the racetrack,” said Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer of e.l.f. Beauty. “Nine trailblazing women have competed in the Indy 500, and we hope to see this number grow swiftly in the years ahead while also expanding roles and opportunities on teams and crews.”
Our goal is to create spaces where women and girls feel accepted and represented, giving them the confidence to take the wheel and set their own course.
🎨 Related Reading: 4 Brands Upping the Ante on Creativity + Storytelling in 2024
NBCUniversal — Paris Creator Collective
Best Influencer Marketing Push
Campaign Details
In an effort to connect with the next generation of fans and supplement its coverage of the upcoming Paris Olympics, the minds at NBCU have put together the ultimate social media influencer campaign. In partnership with Meta, Overtime, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, the company — which owns U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2032 — will be sending 27 content creators to the French capital to cover all sides of the sporting event with “unprecedented on-the-ground access.”
44% of advertisers plan to increase their investment in creator content in 2024, with an average increase of 25%.
— IAB x Talk Shoppe
Why it Stands Out
The first-of-its-kind initiative is sure to drum up a slew of custom content for NBCU’s array of owned media platforms — and, like a rising tide that lifts all boats, for potential advertisers as well. Brand partners are invited to work with NBCU to create sponsored posts with select creators to form their own stronger relationships with a younger demographic. But who takes home the gold? We’ll have to wait and see.
Expert Insight
“With the Paris Creator Collective and these new partnerships, we will reach out to the younger generation of Olympic fans with personalities, content, and voices they consistently engage with in their daily lives,” said Gary Zenkel, President of NBC Olympics. “Creators participating in this new program will bring a unique perspective to fans of the Olympic Games.
From the athletes to the food to the celebration, creators will offer their communities of fans a truly unique, engaging look at this summer’s global gathering in Paris.
📱 Related Reading: B2B Influencer Marketing: 3 Essential Steps to Building a Strong Strategy
Sage — Maddon Mentality
Best B2B Social Media Series
Campaign Details
Last fall, Sage — the Official Finance Software Partner of Major League Baseball — teamed up with three-time World Series champion manager Joe Maddon for a new kind of game: B2B marketing. Known for his razor-sharp instincts and decision-making skills (and now a sense of humor, too), Maddon makes the perfect brand partner for a series of social media videos centered on making the most of data and insights on the field as well as in the office.
“Joe Maddon has showcased leadership at the highest levels throughout his illustrious career,” said Aziz Benmalek, President of Sage North America. “Our partnership with Joe this MLB postseason and into 2024 will help us offer more invaluable insights and be
a great demonstration of effective leadership and management at high-stakes levels.
Why it Stands Out
With a camera-friendly recruit, Sage has made sure to leverage as much screen time with Maddon as they can. The Office-inspired clip above is the latest installment of this exciting B2B brand partnership. It serves not only as an entertaining clip, but also as a customer story highlighting how Sage’s clients benefit from their finance, HR, and payroll software — two content wins in one!
Expert Insight
Can’t get the likes of a major league manager to make jokes on your account? According to Harvard Business Review, “College athletes are especially attractive as endorsers and influencers for several reasons:
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Brands hope their age will make them effective at engaging and connecting with a younger audience.
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Their sponsorship deals cost less than those of professional athletes.
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They allow brands to tap into the loyal and passionate relationships that fans (especially alumni) have with university sports teams.
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And by signing them, brands can build a relationship that may extend into Olympic and professional sports careers.”
🎭 Related Reading: Cue the Comedy: 3 Brand Campaigns Making People Laugh in 2024
Powerade — Pause is Power
Best Mission-Driven Effort
Campaign Details
To celebrate the importance of mindset, Powerade’s Olympic campaign continues to proclaim: Pause is Power. Launched two years ago, the initiative was inspired by Simone Biles’ decision to take a sabbatical for the sake of her mental health. Now, it’s revived on the eve of her return.
The Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics stars in a powerfully emotional spot that conveys the highs and lows of peak athleticism — and the human being behind the professional — as well as the very real need for rest and mental relaxation.
Why it Stands Out
Beyond the hero video, this campaign has marked a shift in the brand’s point of view and target audience. “Simone was our primary inspiration for this creative concept, along with Gen Z consumers who are motivating us to talk about sports in a different way,” said Laura Legrenzi, Global Senior Manager, Shopper and Consumer Content.
[Gen Z is] taking a more conscious approach to compete and winning — they want to be great, but also have a life — and are not willing to sacrifice their happiness and wellbeing.
But there’s much more in store for the Games. More athletes’ stories will roll out globally, appearing across social, digital, out-of-home (OOH), and broadcast channels, according to Marketing Dive. And, along with a brand new beverage designed for the event, Powerade is also planning an Olympic Village experience alá e.l.f.’s Lip Oil Change, which will provide “an environment for physical recovery, respite and innovative virtual visualization practices while also offering a space for mental health conversations.”
Expert Insight
The main thing to keep in mind about Olympics-related marketing? “The brands that do the best with the Olympics are the brands that don’t see it as a 17-day event,” says Jeff Ehrenkranz, COO at sports marketing agency Allied Sports. “They start their campaigns and their engagement of fans well in advance. One of the ways to do that is [through] athletes because the athletes’ stories are the long-term, engaging thing.”
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