The 2024 Olympic Games have come to a close and while the number of group chats or workplace Slack channels nationwide having fervent discussions about Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles are finally beginning to peter out, the stories will stick with us. These Games gave us some big winners: Leon Marchand, Julien Alfred, Team USA across so many events, Paris itself—and of course, advertisers.
Unlike in years past when the biggest events were only broadcast in the nightly primetime roundup, NBCUniversal decided not to gatekeep any Olympics content for 2024. This meant that viewers could tune into any event live, catching ongoing coverage from Peacock or one of the NBC brand channels. In addition, Peacock created an entire Olympic hub, where users could rewatch events, check out clip compilations, or engage with new shows featuring a variety of commentators. All of this added up to unparalleled advertising opportunities.
In fact, NBCUniversal contracted more advertisers for these Olympic Games than the 2016 Rio and 2020 Toyko events combined. And more than 70% of advertisers are new—first-time sponsors spent nearly half a billion dollars.
The Olympics are not just a sporting event; they are a cultural phenomenon. And while much focus is placed on B2C marketing, B2B commercials are also strategically aired to reach the business decision-makers who tune in. The viewership is vast and diverse, including business executives, entrepreneurs, and key decision-makers, making the Olympics a fertile ground for B2B marketing.
Why B2B Companies Choose the Olympics
1. Massive Reach: The Olympic Games attract a global audience, providing B2B companies with the chance to reach a broad spectrum of industries and potential clients.
2. Brand Association: Associating with the Olympics enhances brand credibility and prestige. The positive values of the Games—excellence, perseverance, and unity—can be transferred to the brand.
3. High Engagement: The Games become a cultural conversation, and the modern multi-screen experience ensures higher engagement—executives are not just watching the games but are also active on social media, discussing the events, and engaging with content.
Tapping into Emotions—Not Products
One major strategy for B2B organizations advertising during the Olympics is to tap into the feelings of the Games rather than directly tout the benefits of their product or service. It’s more about pulling on heartstrings—showcasing real stories of innovation, perseverance, and success, and then connecting those to the qualities of the business. Deloitte did just this with an ad centered on unconventional Olympic firsts along with a corresponding landing page that connects the video to how Deloitte is “using [its] global scale, deep insights, and understanding of innovation to track the impact of firsts.”
Famous Faces and Bigger Budgets
With so many eyes watching, B2B companies are willing to spend more and take greater creative swings. This year, Salesforce invested big in promoting its new AI capabilities with two different campaigns, the first starring Matthew McConaughey as an Old West lawman set on protecting user data. By leveraging McConaughey’s charisma and storytelling skills, the commercials create an emotional and entertaining connection with the audience, showcasing humor while highlighting the power of AI in business operations. The second Salesforce campaign promotes its Einstein AI feature through a cartoonish, candy-colored approach. While these campaigns were not created specifically for the Olympics, they aired heavily across multiple viewing platforms. Salesforce also sponsored certain segments of the broadcast, adding in name repetition and associating the brand with epic Olympic moments.
Palo Alto Network’s Precision AI team also leveraged an existing (and higher budget) campaign featuring a recognizable face—this time, Keanu Reeves—to advertise its cybersecurity tools. The spots feature Reeves in a futuristic, sci-fi landscape and draws on his renown in major film franchises. The commercials demonstrate how Precision AI’s cutting-edge technology can revolutionize industries, and Reeves’ involvement adds star power, making the technical aspects of AI more accessible and engaging to a broad audience. The Precision AI ads aired during primetime events throughout the two weeks of the Olympics.
The Future is Multifaceted
The most successful B2B Olympic campaigns integrate TV spots with other digital efforts, including landing pages and social media. They can also extend their reach and build brand recognition by sponsoring aspects of the Games or broadcast events. Forming partnerships with specific athletes, teams, or even events can capitalize on the success of those individuals and the emotional story they are telling throughout the Olympics.
All of these advertising opportunities should work together to deepen the connection with the audience and take advantage of a viewership primed for emotional stories. By focusing on storytelling, leveraging emotional appeal, and highlighting real-world applications, B2B commericals can create a lasting connection with their target audience and maximize their impact.
