How to capitalise on the Olympics in your marketing strategy

Whichever industry you’re in, the feelings of celebration and togetherness the Olympics evoke are common themes that unite and engage all communities and customers.

Using the insights from our Visual GPS research that regularly surveys over 10,000 people globally, we’ve identified four tips to help businesses effectively use the summer of sport in their marketing campaigns to drive greater engagement among their customers.

Ensure your visuals are relatable

Not everyone can be Usain Bolt or Simone Biles. So, remember to be inclusive in your visual choices by showing people of all abilities and body types taking part in sport and exercise and avoid relying on visuals of toned, young athletes.

Think about the range of exercise and fitness on offer, from wheelchair basketball to senior yoga and running buggy groups. It’s important to consider visuals of both individuals and groups taking part in sport and exercise. Ensure you are also including intersectional identities such as body shapes, types, sizes, abilities, age and gender and you are demonstrating the wellbeing and fulfilment many people experience.

Celebrate togetherness

Every summer – but especially during the Olympics – people want to get together, celebrate, enjoy each other’s company and cheer on their favourite athletes. Our Visual GPS research shows that 86% of people globally look for ways to celebrate the good things in their life. This could be anything from a barbecue with friends to watching the Olympics in a beer garden.

Consider visualising the ways in which people are connecting virtually and celebrating with loved ones from afar. We know this is incredibly important to people as according to our research, 82% say technology helps them feel connected to others.

Consider fitness more holistically

Mind, body and soul: 93% of people believe it is equally important to take care of themselves emotionally as well as physically. When thinking about fitness, consider it holistically and include the benefits it can have on people’s emotional wellbeing.

Use visuals that show the emotional rewards people get from taking a walk in nature, or the ways in which they are embracing fitness to help decompress from the stresses of daily life. Include visuals that represent a broad spectrum of proactive self‑care moments: this could be eating healthier to working out with a friend in the garden.

Get back to nature

Searches on iStock for ‘family outdoors’ have increased by 60% and searches for ‘mother nature’ have risen by 131%, reflecting the desire many people have to reconnect with nature this summer now lockdown restrictions are easing and people can venture further afield.

When selecting your visual content, consider the different ways people are embracing the outdoors, particularly now that lockdown restrictions are easing and people have the opportunity to venture further afield. This could be a hiking trip with friends, camping out with the kids or even just playing a game of table tennis in the garden. Visualising the mindful ways people are engaging in outdoor activities will resonate well with your customers of all ages.

After a year of lockdown and the continued stress of the pandemic, the summer of sport marks an opportunity for businesses – whatever their industry – to connect and celebrate with their customers.

Jacqueline Bourke is head of creative insights EMEA at iStock.