The next time a small business owner asks you for an advertising tip that is guaranteed to work, tell him to follow the strategy used to promote the Olympics. That’s how it is. Olympic Games.
There is a very specific plan, introduced by American television networks more than a quarter of a century ago, that is followed in every round of the Olympics. Winter Games, Summer Games. Does not matter. The same “magic beans” are used over and over again. So what is the secret? Do they focus on glamor sports? No. Do they promote the big matchups? No. Do you advertise the Olympic Games show? Do not.
They do something much more important: establish a emotional connection between the audience and the athletes through the transmission, before the games, of moving profiles of the athletes, highlighting their struggles, fears, dreams. When the Games come around, the unknown athletes are living people who matter to the audience, which was the goal from the start. Make viewers watch by making them worry about athletes.
Note that there is no hard sell, which is typically what you see in small business advertising. Instead, the goal is make an emotional connection. This is not easy or simple. It doesn’t happen overnight. And it only works if you dare to be…human.
Stop being a rigid corporate business “bot” and start being yourself. People tell me that my website is “just like me”. I take that as a huge compliment because it means I was able to connect with a complete stranger. It also means that my web pages are unlike any other. I have them they are me
It makes a difference that goes directly to my bottom line. For example, we caught the interest of a major advertiser because the business owner liked that our “Meet the Staff Web Page” included a photo of our dog and text stating that it was our “Security Directory.” He thought it was creative and fun, which was exactly what he wanted for his campaign. Most importantly, he had connected with us as people. We were no longer just another advertising agency.
You’ll always do better if you remember this simple marketing rule, which is at the heart of the Olympic Games marketing strategy: people connect with people, not connect with things, not even something as big as the Olympics. Olympic Games.