Saatchi & Saatchi (We Are Saatchi)’s Post

How Brands Will Help the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Go for Gold

Today I’ve been doing some reflections on why Paralympic athletics is struggling to gain any momentum. We’re stuck in a vicious cycle. To get financial support from meets and brands we need to be in high profile competitions in the main schedule. The issue is, mainstream agents refuse to take on Para athletes - I have first hand experience in several occasions. When we get an event at a World Tour / Diamond League we often don’t have the strongest line up - because the top Para athletes don’t have mainstream agents to get them in to the race. Because of this, we can’t grow. Low quality race = meet organisers not willing to support the following year. If we’re not in high profile races, Para athletes can’t get exposure. If we can’t get exposure, brands don’t want to support us. The cycle continues. Agents, competition organisers, media, brands, we all have to pull together and grow the sport collectively. If the chain breaks, it’s the athletes who suffer. For clarity, I’m sponsored by Puma and they’re great. This post isn’t for personal gain. I’m very passionate about the sport and I want to help drive it forward. We have to work together and not be selfish.

WHAT IS WHY SO MANY OLYMPIC HOPEFULS ARE RUNNING IN ALL-BLACK, UNBRANDED GEAR AND HOW DOES IT WORK An army of unsponsored athletes at the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials, supported by Bandit Running's Unsponsored Project, is challenging the traditional sponsorship model. Bandit Running provides these athletes with all-black, logo-less gear and short-term endorsement deals to help cover expenses and highlight their availability for longer-term sponsorships. Athletes like Courtney Okolo and Brandee Johnson are finding new opportunities through this initiative, which aims to uplift amateur and sub-elite competitors. #sportssponsorship #athletesupport #trackandfield https://buff.ly/3We66jQ

Para Powerlifting: Structuring the Paralympic ecosystem? In our dynamic world of sports, change is not just inevitable, it's essential for progress. The decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to transfer the governance of Para powerlifting to an independent body marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Paralympic sports. Para powerlifting has long been a cornerstone of the Paralympic Games. Since its inclusion in 1984, Para powerlifting has truly captivated audiences worldwide with awe-inspiring displays of athleticism from para-athletes representing over 100 nations. With the decision to spin off from the IPC, Para powerlifting gains the freedom to chart its course, set its priorities, and pursue initiatives tailored specifically to its development and growth. This independence will bring a sense of responsibility and accountability. As Para powerlifting assumes control of its governance, the teams will have to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct: governance structures, stakeholder engagement and priority to the welfare of athletes, from grassroots to Paralympians. But this decision of spin off isn't just about empowering the sport—it's a strategic move that could significantly impact sponsorship dynamics within the Paralympic movement. By transferring governance responsibilities, the IPC might be aiming to free up budget and administrative burdens, shifting the financial and sponsoring responsibility onto one of its disciplines. It's a pragmatic move, but it raises a hard-hitting question: Will sponsors follow? The answer isn't as clear-cut. While Para powerlifting boasts a passionate fan base and inspiring athletes, without the IPC's umbrella and the allure of multi-sport events, will sponsors still be as eager to invest? The reality is, Para powerlifting might struggle to attract the same level of sponsorship interest as before. Sport is a tough market out there, and brands are increasingly scrutinizing their investments. They want maximum visibility, impact, and alignment with their values. Without the IPC's backing, Para powerlifting may find itself fighting for attention against other sports with broader appeal and established track records. This spin-off presents a considerable risk but is also aligned with the values of sport: ambitious goal are served by consistent effort. I am confident Para powerlifting will definitely secure new sponsorship deals, differentiate itself in a crowded marketplace and will prove its great worth to skeptical brands. #governance #sport #budget #sponsoring #Paralympics #Parapowerlifting #strategy

Every Olympian works full-time at their games or sports, some are well-paid, others earn nothing, but they are all professional athletes or gamers, not amateurs … Some just have second jobs so they can eat. As to this silly venue change every four years, Greece should initiate a modern summer and Winter Olympics to be permenantly based in Greece, where countries could have permenant homes and training facilities, so that the wasteful rebuilding and criminal graft would end. Greek Modern Olympic Sports would be defined as anything where the athlete propels him/herself or the object or both. Within that definition, trim the number of sports, and within those, trim the number races, since the goal is to determine the best/fastest, not to drag this out into months. For instance, in swimming, do you really need anything more than a hundred free and a hundred individual medley to determine who the best swimmer is? The fact of the matter is that distance events are boring and tedious, and spectators don’t watch them unless highly persuaded. (And, no, F1 is not a sport, it is a social event underpinned with the addiction to watching car crashes.) The Greek Modern Olympic Committee would redefine ethics in sports. It would return to Greece what is theirs. And it would be a boon to the Greek economy, to say the least. No arguing about who owns culture or history. If any ancient culture’s current country wants to have their own modern Olympics, I think that would be great, and the market would decide how many are too much. In that way, some cultures might emphasize different sports. Ghana could have the Ashanti Modern Olympics, for example. One could imagine that more than one Olympics per season would be enough, times fours years, means that the viewing audience could absorb sixteen permenant Olympics, if there were that many ancient cultures to produce them. One of the results of reorganizing world competition would be that each Olympics COULD have their own rules, so that we don’t end up with the international corruption that pervades the current Olympics from site selection to WADA. The Greeks or the Ashanti’s or whichever other ancient culture could run a cleaner Olympiad than we now have. IMO.

So many opportunities out of such a concise list.

GMR and the Sports Business Journal convened a roundtable of corporate partners and Olympic leaders from the likes of Comcast, Eli Lilly and Company, Google, Optimum Sports, United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and USA Swimming. SBJ's Rachel Axon moderated the conversation and discussed everything from brand partnerships to hospitality to the pressure of meeting lofty expectations. And of course, the group looked forward to how the movement is positioned ahead of #LA28. GMR's Jessica Giordano weighed in on the topic of LA28: "When you talk about the Olympics, we think about this sport, which it is, but then you get here on the site and it is the manifestation of culture, global culture, entertainment and sport. And then you put that in the entertainment capital of the world and the heart of culture, and it's only going to grow from there too. So I think this idea of, it's the world event, not just about the sport, is really going to come to life in a big way in L.A. too."   #Olympics #SportsMarketing #SportsBiz

Working with athletes and the brands that sponsor them, we know the #Olympics2024 present a major stage for activations. As we approach the Games, here are four key marketing trends to watch during the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.   🏄♀️ Brands marketing around sports making their Olympic debuts, such as – skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and breaking. 🏃♀️ Advertisers doubling down in anticipation of increased TV viewership of track & field following the release of “SPRINT” on Netflix. 🚣♀️ Official Olympic sponsors being outdone by endorsers of pro athlete competitors and National Governing Body (NGB) partners. 🏊♂️ For the first time ever, collegiate athletes cashing in on their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) sponsor deals around the Games.*   *21 U.S. teams are comprised of at least 80% of collegiate athletes, including 14 teams that are made up exclusively of NCAA athletes.

CISM and Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM - World Pentathlon) sign historic renewal of Memorandum of Understanding in the framework of the Paris 2024 Olympics ! Read more ⬇️ #friendshipthroughsport | #modernpentathlon | #sport | #UIPM | #MoU

An important day for Para-sport in Australia, Paralympics Australia and the sports sector. An historic $283 million investment in sport announced by the Federal Government. This unprecedented funding, which includes an additional $54.9 million for Paralympic sport, represents a monumental shift in the recognition and support of Para-sport in Australia. Thanks to the leadership and unwavering support of the Federal Government, who have set a new benchmark for the advancement of Para-sport, and we are profoundly grateful for your commitment. This investment is the single largest increase in Paralympic spending by an Australian Government. It signifies not only a significant financial boost but also a renewed dedication to addressing the systemic barriers that Para-athletes face. #ImagineWhatWeCanDo