Social Media's Role in Global Event Promotion: A Comparative Analysis

This report provides a critical analysis of social media's influence on the promotion of global events, specifically focusing on the Olympic Games. It begins by defining social media and its various platforms, highlighting their role in business and marketing. The report then examines the impact of social media on promotional activities, contrasting it with traditional methods like print advertising and billboards. A key aspect of the report is a comparative study of the promotional strategies employed for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the Rio Olympics in 2016. It explores how the absence of widespread social media in 2008 affected promotional efforts, and how the integration of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in 2016 significantly enhanced reach, engagement, and ROI. The report also discusses the challenges and benefits of using social media, including its ability to overcome issues like political instability and health concerns. The conclusion emphasizes the vital role of social media in modern sports promotion, suggesting its importance for achieving higher ROI and fostering global connectivity. This report, contributed by a student, offers valuable insights into the evolution of marketing strategies in the context of global events and is available on Desklib, a platform providing AI-based study tools.

INTRODUCTION TO
CRITICAL THINKING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
Meaning of Social media............................................................................................................1
Impact of social media on promotion..........................................................................................1
Traditional methods of promotion..............................................................................................2
Global event................................................................................................................................2
Comparison ................................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................................................4
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
The presented study will enclose a report on social media prepared by critical thinking
delivering the impact by a comparative description of promotion of “Olympic Games”. The
study will describe social media platforms with its impact on promotional activities. It will
highlight some traditional tools of promotion for particular global event. The report will contain
different promotional strategies imparted for Rio Olympics and Beijing Olympics. Apart from
this, the report will also compare and contrast the effect and contribution of social media on the
promotional activities of included global event.
MAIN BODY
Meaning of Social media
Social media are the advanced technological platforms that are facilitating all the
business, social marketing, exchange and sharing of ideas worldwide. Various digital platforms
that are continuously delivering immense support to each and every business sector are
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat, Google Plus, Linked in etc. Out of
which Facebook, You tube and Instagram have large pool of users as compared to other social
media platforms (Shah and et.al., 2018). Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn tend to have
professionalized users to share information related to career or business dealings. For promoting
any global event at international level, social media act as effective tool for promotional
activities. Hence, media partners, event planners, business partners etc. are continuously utilizing
these modes of social connectivity
Impact of social media on promotion
Marketing and promotion are getting highly advanced due to the application of social
media. Promotion tools within any sector for different events or companies depends upon its
resources availability. Social media has provided advanced reach and approach to public. It has
delivered a unique identity to the business, company, industry or any global event.
From past 10-12 years the use of social media have been shifted from increasing contacts
to increasing business activities (Tang and Cooper, 2018). Promotions through social media
platforms improves the connectivity and derive long term engagement with partners. Promotions
through digital platform is effective in terms of capital investments, manpower required and for
increasing brand awareness.
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Traditional methods of promotion
Traditional tools like newspaper advertisements, Magazines, Newsletters, Hoardings and
Pamphlets for a particular event are effective but not in comparison to social media promotion.
These tools are costly as different labor costs are related to it (Waheed and et.al., 2018). It
requires sufficient funds for selecting media partners, printing, distribution etc. Promotion of any
event or business plan or any global activity through the mentioned tools may deliver less impact
on the business. For any global event, traditional methods are now have become less
considerable. International sports events in late 20s were dependent on traditional promotional
tools like hoardings and billboards.
Global event
Global events are conducted to establish and cultivate peaceful connectivity and
communication at an international level. These events are mainly intended to increase
connectivity with different brands and communities throughout the globe (Abeza and et.al.,
2015). These events are mainly comprises the global business meetings, conferences, films
festivals and sports events at global and international level. Olympics games is a global event
intended to spread awareness for sports at international level increasing engagement of different
countries. Among which the included events, Rio Olympics and Beijing Olympics were held at
Rio-de-Janerio in 2016 and China in 2008 respectively.
Comparison
According to Tang and Cooper (2018), for International events or sports programs like
“Olympics” the effect of social media on its promotional activities thrive it to a higher level. The
results of social media platforms on Olympic games can be compared and drawn in the context
of Rio Olympics held in 2016 and Beijing Olympics held in 2008. Impact of social media
promotion for Rio Olympics and Olympics Beijing may develop sufficient informative and
comparative data to examine two era with or without digital platforms.
Beijing Olympics that took place in 2008 was the era slightly deprived of software and
technologies for promotions. It was majorly dependent on traditional tools for promotions
supported by Beijing Olympic promotion committee. It was promoted by the help of television
advertisement, films and official sponsors and partners. It also produced different visual games,
animations and used different stamps as promotional aids. Lack of social media marketing at that
time, introduced different type of challenges to its promotional activities. The sports events did
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not have an effective communication platforms. Till 2008, IOC was major governing and
regulatory body of the event. It restricted Athletes for using social media platform that hurdled
athletic endorsement. The global sports' event in 2008 was extremely dependent on promotional
programs, it faced a considerable amount of difficulty in spreading cultural awareness and
related existing facilitates of host country.
As per the view of Cabrera, Roy and Chisolm (2018), Beijing Olympics 2008 was
promoted by different companies and its sponsors, McDonalds and Coco Cola by posting the
highlights, logo and symbols of the event on its different products.media partners, Broadcasting
companies were the fundamental sources of funds for Beijing Olympics. NBC broadcasting
agency provided it nearly $3billion for receiving its transmit. About 40% of Olympic revenues
were based on sponsorship that provided it helping hands not only in terms of capital but also
with certain non monetary resources. Billboards, TV advertisements, Radio transmission were
used for live streaming.
As per the view of Abeza and et.al., (2015), from 2012-14 promotions with the help of
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Tumblr, Google Plus etc. has delivered a
range of profit to Olympics. In 2016, Olympics lovers were watching live streaming of Rio
Olympics. Official social media marketing platforms raised public interest and increased the
usage of effective communication tools. It delivers high amount of profitability to various media
or business partners related to it. The advanced promotions strategies for Olympics games
through digital platforms have raised its ROI and partnerships. These programs strengthen the
revenue generation plan for the event. With help of social media marketing, various brands that
are related to the sports' event can easily access to any sports' person for joining with their brand
advertisement. This has indirectly become an attraction of various brands as well as athletes to
enter into Olympics.
Apart from this, variant cultural and educational programs can be designed by digital
platforms for athletes to build team spirit within them. Through the smart digital promotional
tools provided the event to spread awareness of culture within Rio-de-Janerio. Along with it, the
supportive business partners and sponsors received a considerable amount of profit regarding
their brand awareness and recognition and increased their customers' engagement (Gaffney,
Wolfe and Müller, 2018). Such profits to brand delivered the sports' event a trustworthy and long
term connectivity with its partners.
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Social media marketing platform helped the event to overcome with the issues like
political instability, scandals and different healthcare risks related to Zika virus that was
prominent in Brazil at that time. Through these platforms only, the country could ensure its
safety policies to the guests (Abeza and et.al., 2015). Rio Olympics approached different health
institutions with the support of social media platforms for providing sufficient prior planning and
funding for protecting Athletes from the Zika virus.
Along with it, the changes that are now made by IOC committee in its digital marketing
guidelines have provided it sufficient facilities to the event for its promotion and advertisements.
Unlike the rules till 2008, that were set up by IOC were acting as a barrier for smooth
promotions of the event (Gaffney, Wolfe and Müller 2018). Hence, Social media in any way is
much better option for promotion comparing with the traditional marketing tools. Beijing
Olympics, 2008 may received an ample amount of profits if it had a provision to use social
media marketing platforms for promotions.
Lack of social media platforms for promotions acted as a barrier for the Chinese media to
prepare informative reports for Beijing Olympics. Similarly, if digital promotions were not opted
by Rio Olympics then major marketing functions would have been conducted by the use of
traditional platforms (Shah and et.al., 2018). This method would decrease the level of profit
earned by it by including digital media aids for promotions. The event would also suffer a lot for
addressing the existing country's framework to different countries. Moreover, by not utilizing
modern and social media for promotion respective global event would have considerably less
amount of progress and connectivity with its existing partners, sponsors and facilitators.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned content, it has been cleared that social media has played a
vital role in sports promotions. It has drastically up scaled the level of profit margins for each
and every business, sportsmen, organizations that are connected to it. The report has suggested
that for attaining higher ROI, global events now social media marketing platforms as an effective
tool. It has provided strategic facilities to various global events by supporting it socially,
culturally, financially. The host countries are now capable enough to promote the events as well
as its culture at global level only with the help of social media promotional tools.
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REFERENCE
Books and Journals
Abeza, G. and et.al., 2015. Mixed methods research in sport marketing. International Journal of
Multiple Research Approaches. 9(1). pp.40-56.
Cabrera, D., Roy, D. and Chisolm, M. S., 2018. Social media scholarship and alternative metrics
for academic promotion and tenure. Journal of the American College of Radiology.
15(1). pp.135-141.
Gaffney, C., Wolfe, S. D. and Müller, M., 2018. Scrutinizing global mega-events. Doing global
urban research. pp.125-137.
Lange, D. B. and et.al., Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC, 2016. Social media impact
assessment. U.S. Patent 9. 294. 576.
Shah, S. and et.al., Thomson Reuters Global Resources ULC, 2018. Social media events
detection and verification. U.S. Patent Application 10/109. 023.
Tang, T. and Cooper, R., 2018. The most social games: Predictors of social media uses during
the 2016 Rio Olympics. Communication & Sport. 6(3). pp.308-330.
Waheed, A. and et.al., 2018. The Comparison Between Traditional vs. Advanced Means of
Marketing Communications. In Diverse Methods in Customer Relationship Marketing
and Management. (pp. 181-201). IGI Global.
Online
Olympic Sponsorship: Is it Worth It?. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://analyticpartners.com/news-blog/2016/06/olympic-sponsorship-is-it-worth-it/>.
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