Event Marketing Case Study: Analyzing the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

This case study examines the event marketing strategies employed during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It analyzes the application of the 6 Ps of marketing (Product, Place, People, Promotion, Price, and Performance) using specific examples from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Marketing Report. The analysis identifies six sponsorship assets and provides examples of activation tactics used by companies like Bridgestone and Coca-Cola. The study also explores how the Olympics and the spectator experience contributed to the experience economy, highlighting infrastructure improvements and economic impacts. The report references key academic texts to support its analysis of the event's marketing and economic effects.

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Specific examples from the marketing report to justify each of the 6 P’s
Product Rio 2016 has engraved its way towards introducing spectacular
innovation on a wider scale. For instance, technology like Virtual
Reality (VR) that produced the ways of witnessing the content to
higher levels (IOC, 2017). The VR technologies enabled the Olympic
content available on a wide scale, provided with the facilitation of over
85 hours of live VR coverage equipped with 360-degree video. The
feature creates an immense viewing experience. The product places
the viewers closer to the Olympian action for the first time.
Place The remarkable popularity of the place enabled Rio 2016 with licensed
products that witnessed innumerable fans flocking to stores that
fuctioned within the place of Barra Olympic Park and on Copacabana
Beach throughout the Games (IOC, 2017). The enormous influence of
the Rio 2016 has grabbed the global support towards the youth athletic
games and sports of the region. Such magnitude is visible from the
popularity of the place.

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People The flocking audience converged towards the Olympian market across
the world have been marked in record. This happened due to the
potential marketing strategy of recent technological developments that
have been helping people in Africa, in the arena of improve their
sports infrastructure. The marketing strategy allowed to encourage and
inspire more people than ever before in the subject of Olympian
Games (IOC, 2017). As per the reports, the record reached nearly 300
million people of the region of sub-Saharan Africa. These people that
watched the coverage from Rio accounted to an increase of 75% in
comparison with London 2012 (IOC, 2017).
Promotion The promotion of the Rio 2016 directs towards the financial resources
through which the technology, expertise and products are being
provided to the IOC, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and
Organising Committees of the Olympic Games (OCOGs) by the
Olympic partners. They promote the Games globally through their
strategic marketing plan such as marketing campaigns and sponsorship
activations (IOC, 2017). The strategy helps the Olympic Movement to
reach up to global spectator.
Price The OCOGs and the IOC function to produce ticket prices which
allows the broader range of economic conditions of the public and
which are in line with the domestic prices for major sporting events.
However, as per the reports, it is found that the Olympian Games
projected revenue of around $9 billion from the games.
Performance The performance was enormously observed through events and
activities of the event marketing of Bridgestone. USA and Brazil,

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initiated with the marketing programs with an aim of “Built to
Perform” pointing out the parallels exists between the innovation of
Bridgestone tyre and the performances of the elite athletes. The
marketing plan includes social media campaigns, and an extensive
media experience at branded digital media, BridgestonePerformance.
Com (IOC, 2017). The marketing strategy through its performing and
action plan elaborated the idea that athletes of world class and
Bridgestone tyres are not gifted, rather they are built with efficiency. It
is to mention that Bridgestone also provided facilitation to additional
six US Olympic along with Paralympic athletes. It further includes and
Meb Keflezighi, marathon runner and gymnast Aly Raisman, in order
to produce Bridgestone team for the event of Olympic Games Rio in
2016 (IOC, 2017).
6 sponsorship assets.0
Coca-Cola (Non-Alcoholic Beverages),Bridgestone, Intel (Technology Development),
Dow (Chemistry Company and Carbon Partner), GE associated with Energy Generation
as well as Distribution Systems, Healthcare domain includes Diagnostic Imaging, and
Technology of Equipment and Electronic Medical Records, Transportation Management
Monitoring and Rail Transportation, Aircraft Engines, Water Treatment Services;
Atos (Information Technology)
Two examples of activation tactics
The first example, which is evident as per the IOC Report (2017), is Bridgestone
Company, known for being the largest global Tyre and Rubber Company. Furthermore, the

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company have produced its debut as an Olympic Partner in the global context at the Olympic
Games Rio 2016. The company, after signing contract with IOC in 2014, put forwards its
activation rights with licensed authoritativeness in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and the United
States for Rio 2016 (IOC, 2017). The efforts in these four countries propelled brand
awareness engagement that reached successfully among hundreds of millions of people
The other example of activation tactics evident in IOC Report (2017) is The Coca-
Cola company offered a remarkable activation, that includes Coca-Cola that is served in well
articulated aluminum bottles. Other activation tactics were the event of Olympic Torch Relay
provided with the facility of clicking photo with the torch. These initiatives and involvements
shows the sustainable partnership and commitments between the Olympic Games and the
most recognized company Coca-Cola. The company approached experiences in retain and pin
trading as well. (IOC, 2017).
How does the Olympics, and the spectator experience, contribute to an
experience economy?
Rio de Janeiro is already considered to be the most visited destinations in the
dynamics of South America tourism. With the encouragement of Olympic Games, the
infrastructure in the process was improved and investments were made in the hospitality
industry in order to retain the improved and developed service while the Olympian games
(Baade & Matheson, 2016). The economic contribution were favourable that approached
certain activities like, cleaned-up canals, and needful infrastructure improvements. However,
it has been criticized that the private sector and richer Brazilians received excess economic
benefit.

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References:
Baade, R. A., & Matheson, V. A. (2016). Going for the gold: The economics of the
Olympics. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 30(2), 201-18.
Darnell, S. C. (2012). Olympism in action, Olympic hosting and the politics of ‘Sport for
Development and Peace’: Investigating the development discourses of Rio
2016. Sport in Society, 15(6), 869-887.
Ferrand, A., Chappelet, J. L., & Benoit, S. (2012). Olympic marketing. Routledge.
Grady, J. (2016). The Rio 2016 olympics: Analyzing rule 40's moment to shine. Sport
Marketing Quarterly, 25(3), 182.
IOC. (2017). Marketing Report: Rio 2016.
Reis, A. C., Frawley, S., Hodgetts, D., Thomson, A., & Hughes, K. (2017). Sport
participation legacy and the Olympic Games: The case of Sydney 2000, London 2012,
and Rio 2016. Event management, 21(2), 139-158.