Social media takeover: 2024 Paris Games closing ceremony, looking to LA28
This past Sunday, the world said farewell to the 2024 Olympics in a star-studded closing ceremony and the handoff of the Olympic flag to Tom Cruise, heading to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games. These Olympics were full of extraordinary moments for athletes, fans, spectators, and social media like never before. A large reason for the explosive growth of social media relevance for these Olympics compared to prior games is the more lenient social media rules for athletes announced ahead of the Paris Games and corresponding strategies by broadcasters, resulting in athletes taking the role of extremely popular influencer personalities and stars of viral TikTok trends.
Athletes such as Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen (The Muffin Man), US women’s rugby player Ilona Maher, Turkish shooting ace Yusuf Dikec, to name a few, all captured the attention of social media and pulled in younger viewers to the games, highlighting that social media played a larger role than ever in the Olympics this year.
Takeaways
Not only did athletes explode on social media as viral sensations, but they won the attention of consumers and brands. The result is explosive growth of engagement and continued partnerships with athletes that highlight their personalities and build on these viral, and iconic, moments. For example, Athleta’s successful “Power of She” campaign highlighting Simone Biles’ personal struggles with mental health emphasizes that for Gen Z, the key to a success is relatability to athletes. As we look to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, it’s likely that brands will continue to approach athlete partnerships from a holistic standpoint to not only showcase their athletic performance but personas. Given the online success of trends and athletes’ posts following their respective events, we can expect brands to use these significant moments in time to inform their strategies and approach to a variety of campaigns for athletes and social media ahead of LA.
Why fans think ‘It Ends With Us’ stars are feuding
Colleen Hoover’s book-to-movie adaptation It Ends With Us has sparked much digital discussion over the past week, as fans began to notice that director and star Justin Baldoni has rarely been seen promoting the film along co-star Blake Lively. Co-stars and even Hoover herself, have unfollowed Baldoni as internet users speculate a creative power struggle between Lively and Baldoni has taken place. The film, which tells the story of a domestic violence survivor, has been a box office hit grossing $50 million opening weekend, despite backlash over the film’s promotion being too cavalier for the sensitive subject.
Takeaways
Again we find ourselves asking the age old question; is all PR, good PR? While the online buzz is certainly boosting the film’s box office revenue, the drama is overshadowing sought-after conversations about the film’s poignant message. Regardless of industry, aligning on messaging is an essential component of any campaign, especially if you are looking to elicit a particular response from your audience. The It Ends With Us drama reiterates that sometimes the hardest part is getting all stakeholders on the same page about that message, and enforcing its execution. Media training is an important tactic that can enable a successful message delivery, but only if all parties agree on what those key takeaways should be. Tracking back to audience impact is a good way to sift out messaging, and it seems like the It Ends With Us cast may have skipped over this crucial step. Regardless, the film will continue to be a success and those who go watch in theaters will make their own judgments on its core message, while the behind-the-scenes speculations dominate media coverage.
‘It Ends With Us’ author Colleen Hoover has made her TikTok account private following backlash over how she and Blake Lively have handled the movie and its rollout. pic.twitter.com/kAIFNol5xy
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 9, 2024
Miley Cyrus becomes the youngest-ever Disney Legend
It has been quite a year for Miley. Fresh off her first-ever Grammy award wins for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance, the 31-year-old became the youngest-ever individual to become a Disney Legend. The Disney Legends is a hall of fame award that recognizes key individuals who have made a significant impact on the legacy of The Walt Disney Company. Miley first rose to fame when she starred in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. The show was wildly successful; for example, a 2007 episode remains the highest-rated basic cable series telecast ever with over 10 million viewers. Since then, she has remained in the public eye, becoming an award-winning singer, songwriter, and actress.
Takeaways
As anyone who keeps tabs on pop culture knows, Miley has been through many seasons of life since her Hannah Montana days. From her The Last Song era to Bangerz to her latest record, Flowers, Miley has been through quite a few “rebrands.” What hasn’t changed through all those years is Miley staying true to herself. Her genuineness captures consumer attention and resonates with her target audience. This level of authenticity has resulted in Miley becoming a mainstay in the pop culture narrative. She is well on her way to becoming a “legacy brand,” if you will, of pop culture. What can marketers learn from Miley’s success and longevity? Authenticity is key. Staying true to core components of your brand and having a robust understanding of your target audience will help marketers create brands that resonate and have staying power. Miley said it best herself in her acceptance speech for her Disney Legend award, “a little bit of everything has changed but at the same time, nothing has changed at all.”
Baseball is back: Will the MLB clear the bases or balk at the opportunity?
Following an iconic closing ceremony Americans have even more to be excited about for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles – baseball is back.
Over the years, America’s Pastime and the IOC’s relationship has been akin to Ben Affleck and J.Lo’s – yearning for stability. They separated in 2008, rekindled their relationship in Tokyo for the 2021 Games, and then broke up again for this year’s Paris Games. However, after traveling to the “city of love” it appears all the IOC got was a one-night stand with breakdancing making them realize how good they had it.
However, the story does not stop there. Historically the MLB has not allowed players on the 40-man roster to participate in the Olympics due to injury concerns despite MLB stars openly expressing their interest in the Olympics. The Baseball Labor Union’s contract ends in 2026 which could pave the way for Wheaties box-caliber players to compete in LA.
Takeaways
In the past, the MLB struggled to attract younger fans – much to their own doing with ridiculous black rules for broadcasting games. However, it appears they are moving in the right direction again. However, cherry-picking Olympic Games based on baseball’s popularity in the host cities makes sense in the short term (financially), but not for long-term, sustained, global growth. Fans need consistency. We need rivalries. We need storylines. We need games within the game.
The Tokyo games were perfect for the MLB as the only nation that comes close to loving baseball as much as Americans do are the Japanese – which they showed the world at the 2021 Games as Japan beat the US for the Gold.
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will undoubtedly rekindle the storylines and rivalries as the LA Dodgers’ and the MLB’s poster child, Shohei Ohtani, will likely lead a rematch between these two dominant countries at his home stadium. But that won’t be possible unless the MLB allows all players to compete in the Olympic Games when union negotiations occur in 2026.
You want to grow the game? Invite sports fans from around the world to Dodger Stadium. Let the world’s greatest players introduce them to the game. Let them experience the joy of sitting in the LA sunshine while enjoying a Dodger Dog with an ice cold beer. Let them hear the euphoric sound of bat-on-ball contact. As the wise Yogi Berra once said, “Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too.”
LG boosts home appliances with competition show on Prime Video
LG Electronics has launched a new competition show called “Estate of Survival” on Prime Video, aligning its brand with the growing trend of immersive entertainment. The show features four contestants who must compete in a variety of challenges to earn home appliances and other items. The last resident standing will win a grand prize of $100,000. The focus is on promoting LG’s eco-friendly products while engaging viewers through reality TV’s drama and intrigue. This collaboration marks LG’s innovative approach to brand storytelling, blending entertainment with product demonstrations. The campaign’s goal is to capture the attention of environmentally conscious consumers, emphasizing LG’s commitment to sustainability. The show’s format allows viewers to see how LG’s technology supports a self-sufficient lifestyle, driving brand awareness and positioning LG as a leader in green living.
Takeaway
In an era where social media drives brand perception, LG’s “Estate of Survival” is a great example of how companies can integrate product placement into content that resonates with today’s eco-conscious audience. The show’s reality-TV format taps into the popularity of competition-based entertainment while subtly showcasing LG’s sustainable products. For brands, this move underscores the importance of creating content that not only entertains but also aligns with the values of their target audience. It will be interesting to see how viewers react to the TV show as social media buzz could amplify LG’s message, encouraging viewers to share and discuss how the brand’s innovations help reduce environmental impact. Additionally, this campaign highlights a growing trend: consumers increasingly expect brands to lead the way in sustainability, and those that creatively merge product visibility with impactful storytelling will likely see a positive reception in the social media landscape.
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