"With Hill Holliday's Marketing Support, Boston Will Bid For 2024 Summer Olympic Games"

From MediaPost

Analysis by Margo Savage in KIN 501

Hosting the Olympics is an honor that is bestowed upon only a few select cities. There is certain criteria and many years of planning that go in to make the Olympics a success. Through a meticulous process, Boston has been chosen as the American Olympic bid for the 2024 Olympics. After reading “With Hill Holiday’s Marketing Support, Boston Will Bid For 2024 Summer Olympic Games,” it is easy to see the different layers that are present in the years leading up to the games.

Although Boston has not been chosen as the city for the 2024 Summer Olympics, there is already backlash surrounding the possibility of the city hosting the games. In the article, some of this backlash is addressed: It includes topics such as the cost attached with hosting the games, the security concerns after the recent terrorist attack during the 2013 Boston Marathon, and what the citizens of Boston think about hosting the games. On the flipside, the article also addresses some positive aspects. These positive components include the business that it will bring to the city, the notoriety that Boston will receive, and the perseverance that the city can show from rising from recent tragedy.

From a marketing standpoint, I think that Hill Holiday takes the right angle for Boston 2024. They present, in their “Beacon” video, the idea of patriotism. The video starts out showing a person in an old colonial outfit who passes off the “beacon” to an Olympic horse racer. From there, the beacon travels through the city visiting different athletes in a plethora of sports venues. The idea and theme behind the video is that patriotism is passed on and runs through the veins of the city in all aspects. It shows significant Boston landmarks such as the Charles River and Boylston Street.

I thought that the use of the blue light across the advertising was good for Hill Holiday. It gave different advertisements a sense of uniformity and something that people could easily identify as part of the Olympic brand. I also liked that the icon traveled around the city of Boston to show the highlights of the town. Finally, the aspect that I liked the most from these advertisements was the sense of perseverance and pure grit from the people of Boston. I think that Hill Holiday wanted to capitalize on the face that the people of Boston are “Boston Strong” and that they are determined to continue on, no matter what hardships come their way.

"Tourism Expected to Pay Off $51B Sochi Investment"

From Athletic Business

Analysis by Rosella Sheehan in KIN 501

In the article, “Tourism Expected to Pay Off $51B Sochi Investment”, author Nancy Armour stated that several previous Winter Olympic cities including Salt Lake City and Vancouver have seen an increase in the amount of tourism revenue since the Olympics left. Russian officials are optimistic that Sochi will also see an increase in tourism in the years to come, especially from Russians and Europeans looking to vacation in the seaside town. Although travelling to Sochi is difficult, it does provide the best of both worlds in terms of snow and sand.

Despite the fact previous host cities have seen an increase in international tourism following the Olympics; I do not believe the same will occur in Sochi. Sochi officials did a great job of keeping the Games safe but the bad publicity the Games received has decreased the appeal of the city to most of the world. Many Westerners are not used to seeing stray dogs running the streets, unfinished hotel rooms or dirty drinking water which will make getting people to go visit this area of the world difficult. One of the biggest challenges Sochi will face trying to draw tourists is the reputation Russia has around the world, which is only becoming worse from its recent aggression towards Ukraine.

On the other hand, I do think that Sochi will draw Russians because Sochi became a source of pride for them during the Winter Games. A major draw this town has is its closeness to not only the sea but also the mountains. Other transformations to the seaside town that will draw Russian tourists is the new theme park “Putin World” and the transformation of Olympic Park into a race track for the Russian Grand Prix later on this year. Finally, the fact that Russia has several new sporting arenas will increase their appeal to host other sporting events in the future.

This article is relevant to this course because it is important to realize that several factors are taken into consideration when tourists decide to travel for a sporting event. Some of these considerations include: travel, accommodations and safety. Whenever an event is put on, organizers must consider these factors since they will affect the appeal of an event and the experience each guest will have. Especially in unappealing locations or with a losing team, organizers must think of creative ways to get people to come to games and events.

"Watch the Spots: Chevrolet Features Gay Couples in Olympic Ads"

From Advertising Age

Analysis by Candynce Boney in KIN 501

During opening night of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Chevrolet aired two commercials featuring gay couples for the first time in both of their television slots. It is important to note Chevy went through with these commercials with the understanding that Sochi had enforced anti-gay laws. All the families in these commercials were real life families that were found through both social media and outreach. Not only does Chevrolet show gay couples there are also multi-racial families shown in these commercials. Chevy’s goal is to explore “what it means to be a family these days.” During the second commercial they show a gay couple celebrating their marriage and an openly gay scientist, Jack Andraka who developed a way to test for pancreatic cancer. Although during the commercials the pictures flash by rather quickly it is still easy to recognize both the mixed race families and the gay couples.

With Chevrolet promoting their new marketing technique, they seem to have placed a large amount of emphasis on slogans. America is starting to become more of a nondiscriminatory country, their slogans does a great job catch the attention of new era Americans. What I mean by new era Americans is, for this current generation everything is about being inclusive and politically correct. Many of the young Americans now are multi-racial and support Same Sex Marriages. Therefore Chevy is reaching a large population of people with opening this new market scheme.

From a marketing standpoint, I was curious as to how Chevy’s older more conservative customers would respond to the new marketing technique. As one would expect the responses to this commercial were not good. People said they would never purchase another car from Chevrolet; some went as far to say they would sale their current Chevrolet vehicles due to these commercials. In my opinion this is still a good marketing technique, as I mentioned before, people are becoming more liberal in their standpoints on relationships.

More specifically for up and coming marketers, the field is constantly evolving with today’s new society roles and trends. We would need to confront some of those old stereotypes, not being afraid of going after something new. In my opinion, as a marketer it is important to understand, not every person will agree with all marketing tool and techniques used, but in order to evolve in the field barriers have to be pushed. It is going to be easier to push these barriers in companies as large as Chevrolet, but even on a college level doing more inclusive things and making everyone feel welcomed may produce better outcomes at different events around campus.

"Reporter made Olympic Skier Cry, Was it Unethical? NBC Takes Heat For Sochi Interview"

From iMediaEthics

Analysis by Luke Kaulius in SRM 334 

Bode Miller, an Olympic alpine ski racer from the United States won his sixth Olympic metal this February at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Miller placed bronze in the Super-G downhill event. For Bode, these Olympic games were far different from any of the others that he competed in. This is because of the recent death of his younger brother Chelone “Chilly” Miller, who passed away in April of 2013 due to an apparent seizure. Chelone Miller was a professional snowboarder who had planned to compete in the 2014 Sochi Olympics alongside his older brother.

After placing bronze in the Super-G event, Bode Miller agreed to do an interview with NBC reporter, Christin Cooper. During the interview, Miller was asked multiple questions regarding the death of his brother, Chelone. These questions eventually brought Bode to tears and he was unable to complete the interview. This raised much controversy regarding the intention of the interview and the morality of NBC. Many media outlets such as The New York Times believed that this interview crossed a very fine line and was unethical. People around the world posted their negative thoughts regarding this interview on social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook. However, Bode Miller believed that there was no one was to blame for the interview. He explained that it was a very emotional time for him and any reporter would have asked the same questions. Responding to the negative criticism, NBC came out with a statement justifying the interview and the intention behind it.

I believe that NBC and Christin Cooper did not do an adequate job preparing and conducting this interview. It was very obvious that they were trying to provoke Bode in an effort to get more media attention. NBC wanted to show the raw emotion of Bode Miller at a time like this, however they could have used better techniques. Rather than asking three out of the four questions in the interview about Bode’s brother, NBC should have eased into the topic and waited until the last question to bring up the death of his brother.

I believe that the perfect amount of emotion that would have been appropriate for NBC’s audience was after the first question regarding his brother. Once they asked two more questions about the Chelone Miller, it gave the audience the impression that they wanted Bode to break down and cry. Christin Cooper should have created a better atmosphere of trust by asking easier questions first and then finish with a question about the death of Bode’s brother. By doing this, Bode would become more comfortable answering the questions and not feel like he is being provoked the entire interview. I believe that if NBC and Christin Cooper had taken this approach, the interview would have portrayed the perfect amount of emotion and create a more content mood for their viewers.

This topic is very relevant to the course because it relates directly to the topic we discussed on interviewing. In class we discussed all components of an interview that occur prior to an interview and during an interview. These components are evident throughout the interview with Bode Miller, especially the method, audience, and agenda of the interview. After learning about how to develop interviewing skills, I am able to understand how the interview was conducted and where NBC might have gone wrong.

The areas that NBC struggled with this interview include the agenda of the interview and the particular way that Christin Cooper asked the questions. She did not create a good atmosphere of trust with Bode Miller because she jumped right into questions that were difficult to answer. NBC was not intentionally trying to provoke Bode Miller, but they did not do a sufficient job in creating a comfortable mood. After seeing this interview, I was able to examine a perfect example of a poorly constructed interview and understand why NBC and Christin Cooper received a great deal of negative scrutiny.

"No Backlash for Olympic Sponsors: Chobani Rises Most"

From Advertising Age

Analysis by Jacob Porter in SRM 334 (section 1)

For our article discussion we decided to use an article that discussed American advertising and marketing during the 2014 Winter Olympic games. This article discussed how certain advertising campaigns boosted recognition of companies in terms of buzz, word of mouth, and purchase consideration. These numbers are based off of a study conducted by YouGov brand index in which they sampled about 4,300 consumers daily to find out how the general population felt about marketing during the Olympics. Through this study it was learned that Chobani differentiated their product very effectively throughout the games. This is in large due to their pro-gay oriented advertisements. Russia has a ban on distributing same-sex propaganda to youth which caused an outrage especially among gay activists here in America. Chobani and other companies like Chevrolet took advantage of this and produced pro-gay advertisements that were very popular especially among the LGBT community. According to the article lesbian and gay purchase consideration for Chevrolet skyrocketed in the past month.

From a marketing standpoint companies such as Chobani and Chevrolet did excellent and were very wise with their marketing plan. They saw an opportunity which was the outrage of American citizens over Russia’s anti-gay laws and decided to take advantage of it. I think that this kind of marketing is a risk because there are still a fair amount of people in America that oppose homosexual marriage, but these companies took a risk and it paid off big for them.

This article relates to a lot of things we have discussed in this class. One of the things we have discussed in sales is to “know the market/customer”. Clearly these marketing campaigns were not just thrown together a week before the Olympics, but there was probably extensive market tests and data collection. Companies like Chevy and Chobani found out that there was a big market that would respond positively to a pro-gay advertisement. It definitely payed off as it raised awareness, buzz, and product consideration for both companies.

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Analysis by Shanik Murthy in SRM 333 (section 1)

This article focused on the brands that were associated with the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and how their popularity was affected due to Russia’s Anti-Gay laws. Some brands were official sponsors of the event while others were not. Chevrolet, even though it wasn’t an official sponsor, saw its brand consumer consideration rise substantially after it’s commercial depicting same-sex marriage was aired. Chobani yogurt had the overall biggest increase in various categories derived from the YouGov Brand Index statistical calculations. The companies that sponsored the events were taking a big risk in regards to its gay and lesbian consumers because of Russia’s Anti-gay laws. By sponsoring the events, gay and lesbian consumers would infer that those companies were supporting Russia in its views on same-sex marriage and Anti-gay laws. However it turned out that the gay and lesbians positive perception of the companies that sponsored the event actually increased overall. Even though these companies were taking a big risk by associating themselves with the Sochi Olympics, I believe it was a smart marketing tactic nonetheless. Due to the overall popularity of the Olympics, companies were able to showcase themselves on a world stage, which is a rare occurrence that only happens every few years. This article has a direct correlation with this course because it showed what marketing principles and tactics big companies used to attract consumers on the world’s biggest stage, even in an adverse environment such as Russia in it’s current state. This article also showcased the consumer behavior towards these brands and how each brand was affected by the consumer’s perception of them. Finally, because the Winter Olympics is a worldwide sporting event, the brands that affiliate themselves with such an event have to display their top marketing skills to relate and portray their brand to all types of consumers on the biggest stage in the world.

"Empty seats, lack of buzz fill Sochi Olympics"

From The Kansas City Star

Analysis by Nick Kusko in KIN 501

The article from the Kansas City Star addressed the lack of attendance throughout the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The article explained that there has traditionally been an increase in the turnout of events as the Olympics go on, but at Sochi, this rise has not occurred. The issue was so concerning that it reached the highest levels of the International Olympic Committee. As an example, the men’s downhill, which was considered to be the main event of the Alpine ski schedule, failed to reach a capacity crowd.

Tickets to the various events were sold beforehand, but the turnout has not been there. The Sochi Olympic Committee has resorted to using volunteers to get people in the stands. The Russian crowds that have made it to the events have not been especially enthusiastic, and the competition environment has been somewhat dull.

The Sochi Olympic venues have been the most expensive to construct in history. Unfortunately, people around the world just do not seem as interested in these games despite it showcasing the best athletes of the world. A large reason for the negative buzz around Sochi are the security worries and poor living conditions for the athletes. There have been threats of terror that have intimidated people away from the games, even including some families of the competing athletes. Airfare and hotel costs have also been recorded as being unreasonably high.

There has recently been a surge of pictures to hit the web entitled “Sochi Fails,” which include a lack of privacy in bathrooms, dangerous living conditions, and an overwhelming presence of stray dogs. This type of publicity was not the attention the Olympic Committee was hoping to receive.

The Olympics will always be under scrutiny due to its spectacular nature. Any Olympic Committee will expect to deliver excellence, and Sochi has arguably failed in this aspect thus far. One thing is for sure, Sochi will not be hosting any Olympic events anytime in the near or distant future.

"Sochi Winter Olympics: Video threat emerges amid security concerns"

From CNN.com

Review by Calvin Parson, Jr. in SRM 435 (section 2)

The Winter Olympic games have been a staple in World History for over 90 years. Since 1924 athletes from around the World have gathered in one city to compete against each other in events such as skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, and curling. This year, Russia has the privilege of hosting the games for the first time in history in Sochi.

As the largest resort city in Russia, known for its resorts and sports facilities, Sochi is considered an obvious choice to host a sporting event of this magnitude. However, recent terror threats against the city, as well as civil unrest between Muslim extremist groups in the North Caucasus region of the country has provided much concern for many nations around the country who are participating in the games.

On January 20, 2014 CNN reported that a video had been posted on a Jihadi forum, and in that video, threats were being made against Sochi and specifically about a planned attack during the Olympic games. The two terrorists in the video were later identified as the suicide bombers who were responsible for attacks in Volgograd, Russia in December. The article went on to promise that regardless of the unrest in the Northern part of the country and the many attacks that have happened in Russia since Sochi was announced as the host city, that the games would be safe and that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his staff were doing everything in their power to ensure and promote safety during the games.

Unlike previous Olympic games, much of the focus this year has been taken off of the events and the athletes and placed on the threats themselves. Each day, new developments are being released regarding the attacks and what the country plans to do to keep participants and tourists safe. There is no positive “hype” surrounding these games and the nostalgia that usually comes along with the Olympics is nowhere to be found. Many people are also lashing out about Russia’s views on gay rights and how all partners of the Olympics are supporting the “Homophobic Games.”

The news surrounding the threats on the games is having an affect on many aspects of the games including the promotional elements (or lack thereof.) NBC, who is broadcasting all Olympic games through 2020, has done their due diligence to promote the athletes of the games with mini videos and commercials. However, other sponsors such as McDonalds, Samsung, Coca-Cola, and Visa have been ridiculed on social media for their partnerships with the Olympics. Ticket availability to events have also been cut in half compared to previous years games in hopes to aid security efforts. Travel has also been affected, as tourists are not allowed to fly directly into the city and hotels have been put on high security alert.

It is apparent that the threats are having a direct impact on the games and how they are being marketed and promoted in the media. Regardless if an attack occurs or not, the terror group in charge has instilled fear in the hearts of sports lovers around the world.

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Review by Caroline Snedgear in SRM 435 (section 2)

This article addresses the recent threats specifically a video that has surfaced threatening the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. In the video two young men known to be involved in the suicide bombing attacks a month ago, state “we’ve prepared a present for you and all tourists who’ll come over.” These recent threats and video being released has made the public and government very concerned about the safety and security needed. Even U.S lawmakers state the games aren’t safe and wouldn’t want their families attending. This overall portrays a negative image for people traveling or thinking about attending the games. There has also been a lack of communication between the Russian and U.S. government

These threats bring up many concerns from a marketing and sales standpoint. People have already begun to boycott and this can overall affect the tickets and merchandise sales. If there is such controversy surrounding the games there is less of a chance people will want to support the games by attending this year. The city of Sochi and the Olympics in general have to make sure that they are making people aware of security and precautionary measures being put in place from a marketing standpoint for current and future concerns. With the games coming up very soon the committee will have to work very hard and make last attempts of creating a positive and safe image for the city of Sochi. The cost of the games has also risen to $45 billion where the initial budget was $12 billion due to claims that corruption was one of theses factors for pushing up the costs. Such high costs can also affect the total revenues. There has also been concern with a law that was passed outlawing “gay propaganda” where it makes it illegal to tell children about gay equality. Western leaders who have called it “archaic and discriminatory” have generally criticized this new legislation. Which has also portrayed a negative image upon the games and Russia.

"BBC's Sochi Ad Will Make You Never Want to Leave the House, Much Less Compete in the Olympics"

From Adweek

Review by Alyssa Hough in SRM 435 (section 2)

There is a commercial that BBC came out with for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The commercial is getting a lot of attention because it is unlike any other Olympic commercial made. It does not have the exciting music playing in the background with pictures of past Olympians celebrating their victory. Instead, it is seen as a much darker, epic commercial with a more intense demeanor to it. The commercial is causing a controversy over whether or not the new approach taken by BBC in producing this commercial was a good decision. Even though the commercial is getting mixed reviews the author of the article praises BBC for trying something new and branching out. The article talks about how you could not go wrong incorporating more about the athletes and events, but the challenges illustrated in the commercial that come with the Winter Olympics evokes interest.

I think from a sport marketing aspect it was a good risk to take because it catches the average viewer off guard, and draws in their interest to something new. It also emphasized how intense the Winter Olympics can be, and all the elements the athletes must face to achieve their dreams. I like how a different approach was taken, and the fact that the commercial is from natures point of view was very cleaver. Most Olympic commercials are inspiring in a different way because they have victorious music playing, and images of the Olympians winning their sport. Although, I still think this commercial by BBC is inspiring because it makes you look at what the athletes have to face to become triumphant, and the new approach was refreshing.

This article relates to our class because its focus is on a marketing commercial for the upcoming Winter Olympics. It shows that in marketing you are constantly wanting to find new ways to present something to the public in a way that will grasp their interest. I think BBC Sports did a great job in doing so because the commercial grabs your attention and gets you thinking. The commercial personally made me even more excited for the Winter Olympics to start. To me it felt like a movie trailer was playing for a movie that I could not wait to come to theaters. Now I am excited to see how the Winter Olympics will play out.

Overall, I think it was well done and a refreshing new way to market the Winter Olympics. It shows that in marketing you cannot be afraid to branch out and try something new. You want to make sure you are not confined to a box of ideas. I think the commercial is very inspiring, and will get the public pumped up for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia this year. There is a lot of anticipation brought by the commercial that makes you want to know how the Olympics are going to go and what the results will be. I think it was a well done invigorating marketing commercial for the Winter Olympics.

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Review by Megan Verpent in SRM 435 (section 2)

In the United States, broadcasting companies and sponsors such as NBC, market the Olympics as must-see, gripping television. Other times, NBC will market the games as feel-good stories, by giving fans an incite to the lives of athletes. Either way, commercials generally have an upbeat tone and feature video clips of athletes in competition. However, around the world, not all broadcasting companies portray the Olympics Games in the same manner. In his article, David Gianatasio discusses the way, which BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is marketing the Olympic Games based on their newest television commercial. He writes about how BBC is promoting the upcoming games in Sochi, Russia as a suspenseful, movie-like scenario rather than a competitive sporting event. Overall, he applauded the controversial commercial, although he mentioned that some critics did not.

BBC decided to market the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics in a different fashion than many fans are familiar with. Through the article, “BBC's Sochi Ad Will Make You Never Want to Leave the House, Much Less Compete in the Olympics Hell freezes over,” David Gianatasio does a good job in discussing how BBC is promoting the games. Rather than marketing the Olympics as just another sporting event, BBC has decided to market the games as an exciting, suspenseful full feature movie, as the commercial acts as the promotional trailer meant to peak fans’ interest. The advertisement contains narration by Charles Dance, who stars in the popular television series, Game of Thrones. By doing this, BBC is able to market the Olympics as a pop-culture like event. BBC also promotes the Olympics through the harsh nature that athletes have to endure. Suspense and nature are the focal points of the Olympics that BBC has promoted through this commercial; the athletes are the supporting cast members.

Marketing is a strategy to promote a product and attract more fans; in the this article and featured commercial, in this article, the Olympic Games are the product being marketed to fans. With the Sochi games only weeks away, we in America are usually only exposed to the Olympics through the way which NBC markets them to us. This article is relevant because it examines how the Olympics can be marketed and promoted in other ways. It is beneficial to be exposed to more than one way of marketing because they can be more effective to certain audiences.

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Review by Alexandra Sullivan in SRM 435 (section 2)

On Wednesday January 15th Adweek posted an article written by David Gianatasio on the controversial ad BBC released for its coverage on the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This ad is not traditional, meaning people usually expect commercials for the Olympics to be feel good and inspirational. This ad takes a different approach on the winter games and focuses more on the athletes conquering nature rather than the competition between one another. It over exaggerates the cold, snowy weather portraying the type of environment the athletes have to overcome to be successful in such dangerous conditions. The voiceover in the trailer is dark and powerful, which sets the dramatic tone of the commercial. The ad resembles a movie trailer creating suspense and leaving you wondering what will happen next. Some people did not like this ad because it made them feel numb and they wanted to see something more traditional that is motivational and positive. Other people like the mystery created in the ad and thought it conveyed the unique atmosphere of the Winter Olympics.

I believe this article shows that BBC was willing to take chances and try something new in promoting their coverage for the Winter Olympics. When promoting such a big sporting event such as the Olympics I believe that the ads should go hand in hand with the nature of the event. The Olympics is one of the biggest stages for athletes to compete in, therefore the advertising for the Olympics should also be memorable. BBC sparked conversation and controversy with this ad. They got people’s attention and are getting more publicity because of it. This ad is eccentric, which can be a good thing in sports marketing because it gets people talking and stayed tuned for more. The graphics and the layout of the commercial are intriguing leaving people wanting more and getting them excited for the games.

This article is relevant to Sport Marketing and Sales because it is about promoting, advertising, and gaining publicity, which are three aspects of sport promotion and sales. BBC spent a lot of money creating this ad to gain awareness and to start getting people talking about the upcoming games. The ad is informing people that the Winter Olympics are back and when the games start. I believe this was a successful marketing strategy for BBC to create this type of ad because it does an exceptional job building up the story line for the winter games. After watching this ad I was excited for the Olympics to be back and I cannot wait to see top ranked athletes compete against one another in such dangerous weather circumstances.

"With Lindsey Vonn Out, Marketers Must Rethink Sochi Ad Strategies"

From Advertising Age

Review by Courtney Wright in SRM 435 (section 1)

In this article, the author reveals NBC’s plans on airing new 2014 Olympic ads with the recent news of Lindsey Vonn stepping out of the Olympic games due to her recent knee injury. While Vonn was originally going to be showcased in NBC’s major ads, they now have to look at other star US athletes such as Shaun White and Julia Mancuso. Although she will not be competing in the games, Lindsey’s sponsors, such as Under Armour and Oakley, are still very interested in keeping her in their ad campaigns. They are aware that she is one of the most notable female athletes and are confident that she will overcome this injury and continue to compete in highly competitive competitions.

I think it is the right move for NBC to take Vonn out of their Olympic advertisements simply because she will not be competing in the games and there is no sense in promoting her in that light. With that being said, she will most likely still be present at the games to cheer on her teammates and competitors, and will still be able to market herself and her sponsors. From a sport marketing standpoint, it is a smart move by her sponsors to be supportive and continue the relationship they have with Vonn. Her injury is only temporary and she will hopefully be back competing very soon. Even with her injury, Vonn is still an iconic figure in the sporting industry and the spotlight will continue to be on her despite her absence in the games.

This article is relevant to this course because marketers constantly have to change the way to portray and advertise people and events based on current situations. Lindsey Vonn would have been one of the US highlights in the 2014 Olympic games, but now NBC and her sponsors have to rethink who/what to show. The games are just a few weeks away and advertisers still have to edit their commercials that are being shown nationwide.

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Review by Monica Paolicelli in SRM 435 (section 1)

As the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics are fast approaching, one familiar face will be missing from the USA downhill skiing team. Lindsey Vonn, the most successful and well-known American skier in history, has withdrawn from the games to have her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repaired after her horrific crash last February. NBC producers have had to revise all of the Sochi commercials in order to showcase the USA athletes that will be competing in the games. The network plans to focus their attention on other U.S. Olympic stars, such as Shaun White, Julia Mancuso, Bode Miller, and Ashley Wagner to gain viewer attention. Lindsey Vonn’s “athletic genes, telegenic good-looks, and high-profile romance with Tiger Woods” guarantees good television ratings and great promotion abilities for her sponsors. Proctor & Gamble, Under Armour, Oakley, Red Bull, Rolex, and Head are a few of Lindsey’s sponsors who will have to change their marketing campaign for the upcoming Olympics. All of Lindsey’s sponsors are planning on renewing their contracts with her, preparing to feature her in future campaigns, and wishing her a speedy recovery. Lindsey will still be present in Sochi to cheer on her fellow U.S. athletes as well as host events. This way she will still be guaranteed visibility even when she is not competing.

Lindsey Vonn’s reputation as a great competitor, recognized spokesperson, and overall role model for young girls, allows her sponsors to trust her actions and behavior as someone who is representing their brand in a positive manner. A critical analysis from the marketing standpoint includes this idea that a well-rounded, talented, good-looking, and principled athlete will almost never be dropped from her sponsors because of an injury. Lindsey’s sponsors respect her and understand that injuries are part of the process. Proctor & Gamble states how honored they are to have Lindsey as part of their team. Marketers need to always make sure their company goals align with their athletes’ goals. Even though Lindsey is not competing, she is still driving the brands of her sponsors by being one of the most famous U.S Olympic athletes. This article review proves very relevant to this course because the average U.S. viewer does not usually follow the World Cup skiing for example, so name recognition is the key to drawing viewers. Also, if a star athlete has a comeback-story it draws even more attention and ratings. Lindsey’s current story of withdrawing is earning her media and marketing attention that she would have received during the games. NBC will have to build their next star and create a new fan favorite for the 2014 Sochi Olympic games starting in February.

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Review by Samantha Mitchell in SRM 435 (section 1)

Down hill skier Lindsey Vonn recently announced that she would be missing the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics due to a knee injury she obtained in the 2013 World Championships. NBC had planned to make her the face of their marketing campaign beside Shaun White because of her looks, her athletic ability, and her high profile relationship with Tiger Woods. However, now that she is no longer competing in the Sochi Olympics, NBC is focusing more on other athletes such as Julia Mancuso and Shaun White.

Not only has NBC lost their face of the winter Olympics, so have Lindsey’s sponsors. Her sponsors include: Procter & Gamble, Under Armour, Oakley, Red Bull, Rolex, and Head. Even though her sponsors have lost their star athlete, they have all been very understanding and supportive of her. Under Armour does not plan to change anything on the advertisement side. In fact they have made Lindsey Vonn the face of their cold weather gear, “Infared”. P&G are also continuing their support of her and are keeping her as the face of their campaign, “Thank you, Mom”. Her deal with Oakley expires at the end of the season but Oakley is looking to renew her contract with them. All of her sponsors are wishing her the best of luck in her recovery and are looking forward to her return.

I think NBC was right to no longer focus on her and to focus on other athletes because she is not competing and it would be false advertisement to put her at the center of their focus. NBC understands that injuries occur and that is the nature of sports. They have to be flexible and that is exactly what NBC is doing. I think it is great that Lindsey Vonn’s sponsors are all supporting her and continuing their contracts with her even though she is not competing. Especially, those that are still using her as the face to their marketing and advertising campaigns. It is good to see that sponsors can be very understanding and supportive.

This is relevant to the coarse because this class is all about sports marketing and sales. We are going to be learning about sponsorships, advertising, how to market people in the sports industry, and so much more. This situation is very likely in sports and it just goes to show us how versatile and prepared we have to be in any situation.

"Paralympics to get live coverage from Sochi"

From SportBusiness Journal

Analysis by Katie Davis in SRM 334 (section 2)

After lackluster coverage of the London Paralympic Games, the NBC Sports Group is working with the United States Olympic Committee to create a deal that will give greater coverage of U.S Paralympic Athletes at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games than viewers have seen in previous games.

From a media and communications stand point, this deal marks a turning point in how disability sports, whether at the Paralympic level, or at a local level, will be broadcast. In the past few years, coverage of the Paralympic Games has increased, but not nearly to the level of the Olympic Games. These will the first games to offer live coverage of Paralympic events. I think that this broadcast will reach a larger demographic and make disability sports on television more common in United States households.

This deal demonstrates how the new model of communication is used. The deal entails not only 3.5 hours on NBC’s broadcast network and 46.5 hours on its cable channel, NBC Sports Network, but it also includes live streaming on the US Paralympics website. Presenting the option of live streaming by sport allows NBC and the U.S. Olympic Committee to reach various niche audiences. Having three different access points also allows viewers to have a more customized viewing experience, whether on standard television or through computers.Overall, after this deal is finalized, coverage of the Paralympic Games in Sochi will expand dramatically and allow viewers a more customized experience in how they watch the game. In turn, more people will become aware of disability sports.

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Analysis by Craig Rollyson in SRM 334 (section 2)

On September 23, 2013, Sports Business Journal released an article announcing increased coverage for next year’s Winter Paralympic games in Sochi, Russia. Last year, NBC was heavily critiqued for not offering more coverage of the Paralympic games. The International Paralympic Committee, as well as persons with disabilities, expressed their frustration over such little exposure, mainly due to the significant impact last year’s games had on the Paralympic community. 

NBC sports group is finalizing a deal with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), which will result in a total of fifty hours of coverage on NBC and NBC Sports Network. This is a dramatic increase from last year’s measly five and a half hours of coverage that was also taped and reached viewers at delayed times. NBC will be showing the games live, as well as offering live streaming of Paralympic events in which United States athletes will be competing. Anyone with a computer will be able to view the games, and the streaming can be found at USParalympics.org. Although the deal has not been finalized, the main terms have been agreed upon, despite a few minor “kinks” that are still being worked out between NBC and the USOC.

From a media standpoint, the additional coverage will greatly benefit niche audiences, as well as those who just want to watch the games. The live streaming that is to be offered will allow a person to locate specific athletes in specific events, which will give the viewers more control over what he/she watches. This ability for viewers to watch what they want reflects the new version of the sports communication model. Instead of the games being offered solely to the mass media (NBC), which can only reach out to NBC viewers, they have offered content for niche audiences who can view the games through live streaming. Content providers are giving the viewers more control over what they watch, which will greatly expand the audience NBC aims to reach. The additional coverage will also be beneficial for those who have an interest in the Paralympic games. The additional fifty hours of live coverage will be a significant increase from last year’s games, which was tape-delayed. These changes will allow the millions of people in the United States to view the Paralympic games like never before, and bring new light and positive awareness to the Paralympic community. In the past, NBC offered only re-caps of the games, and no live coverage whatsoever. Next year, the United States will have full coverage of the top athletes with disabilities in the world, which should greatly increase the popularity of the event. In class we discussed how expanding to niche audiences and providing new and exciting content for viewers benefits media broadcasting networks. NBC will be offering the games to niche audiences, as well as providing new and interesting content for viewers, which will positively impact the network’s and bring long overdue, deserving awareness to the Paralympic games and participating athletes.

"Trial by media of Oscar Pistorius: facts, guesses and spin surround Reeva death"

From The Independent 

Review by Matt Nasca in SRM 334 (section 2)

This past week, on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013 Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was involved in the murder of his current girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. She shot multiple times through a locked door while she was in a locked bathroom. The gun that was used to shoot her belonged to Pistorius and they were the only two that were known to be in the house at the time. The exact details and the trail have yet to start but currently Pistorius is sitting in a South African jail awaiting his bond hearing, which will most likely be set at a very high amount because the prosecution is trying to charge him with premeditated murder. So while we wait for he trail to begin and for the actual facts to come out, the media is having a field day coming up with all sorts of theories and reasons why Pistorius did what he did.

This should make you wonder where exactly they are getting their facts. Pistorius is currently locked in a South African jail and the only legal document to be released about the incident is an affidavit by Pistorius basically saying that he thought Steenkamp was an intruder in his house and that is why he shot her. The media did not seem to mind coming up with their own ideas. There were unconfirmed rumors about a possible ‘roid rage attack on his girlfriend which is what killed him, ignoring the facts that he got tested repeatedly for the Olympics and Paralympics. They said he used a cricket bat to beat her when he said he used the bat to pry open the door after he shot through it. The media also claimed she was having an affair which led to the murder.

All these stories are currently just rumors the media has started. So you must ask yourself, how good is the media? They are tarnishing Oscar Pistorius’ image based on an incident that no one knows the truth to just yet. Can Pistorius still be considered “innocent until proven guilty?” What happens to his reputation after the trial if he is found innocent? The media is getting viewer’s attention at the unfortunate expense on Oscar Pistorius. I am not saying that he is innocent or guilty, but I think the media should wait for the facts before they report on the case. Again if he ends up being guilty, because of the media he will always carry that negative image with him.

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Review by Charles Higby in SRM 334 (section 2)

This article goes over the facts and spins the media has provided of Olympic “bladerunner” Oscar Pistorius and death of his former girlfriend Reeva Steencamp. Since her death, Pistorius has been the center of negative media attention that created a horrible image in the public eye. Due to South Africa’s slow paced justice system, reporters have released multiple reports filled with accusations about Pistorius even though police have not issued any statements or spoken with media sources. These accusations have been repeated so many times that many who look to media sources for information have come to believe these rumors as facts. The allegations include a bloodied cricket bat, a secret love triangle, and even the role of steroids in a “roidrage” attack when in fact the only statements released by South African police were that there was a shooting accident involving Pistorius and his lover, she was dead, and the athlete had been charged with murder. The article also states in order to hold back the wide range of negative coverage, Pistorius hired PR expert Stuart Higgins who represented him during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Their main concern is that in this charged environment with most of the world’s news media reporting the story, the athlete will not receive a fair trial. The involvement of Mr. Higgins in this case can be seen as an example of the British news media’s power in influencing a global story. In my opinion, the media’s role in this case has already done its part in ruining Pistorius’ image, but due to a single judge making a decision on solely the facts of the case, I believe the trial will be fair and just. This article is relevant because it provides an example of how the media can take a major sport story with minimal facts, and use the power of media to influence and persuade its audience one way or another.

"Female Olympians count their post-Games winnings"

From UPI.com

Review by Ali Noel in KIN 332 (section 2)

The article “Female Olympians Count their Post-Games Winnings” dealt with issues between male and female endorsed athletes and how the gender gap is gradually becoming thinner. As the Olympic games came to their end, there has been a developing interest in certain female athletes and with that comes the possibility for lucrative sponsorship opportunities. In the past, male athletes have earned, on average, twice the amount that female athletes get paid in sponsorships. Although top male athletes will always attract the most attention, thus leading to higher paychecks, female athletes have certainly become more marketable and involved in high-paying endorsement deals in the recent times. Social networking sites are partly accountable for this increase in salary and endorsement deals for female athletes. These athletes have immense followings on social media sites which means they are able to influence and relate to fans and consumers. This article used Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Douglas, as a prime example. She has nearly 750,000 followers on Twitter, which means the products she endorses are being seen through her promotional tweets regarding that company’s product. For example, on October 8, 2012 she tweeted, “Best cereal in the WORLD!! Thanks Kellogg’s!” This tweet had a picture of Kellogg’s new cereal “Krave” and many people retweeted and favored this specific tweet. People are becoming aware of products through these athletes and it is increasing the company’s profits in the long run. Her expected earnings through this deal with Kellogg’s will bring Gabby almost $3 million. The article also discussed how high school Olympian swimmer Missy Franklin has given up some profitable offers ($2 million in endorsements to be exact) in order to remain eligible to play college sports. Some companies, including Pantene, have used multiple female athletes to mass-market their products. This is beneficial because Pantene’s mission is to raise awareness for the relationship between sports and health. Although some of these female athletes are earning millions in endorsement deals, they still have a long way to go before catching up to the leading men in the industry. Last year’s Sports Illustrated magazine reported 50 of the highest earning athletes, and not a single woman made the cut. This is partly due to the fact that outside of the Olympics, female athletes are not recognized nearly as much as males. Another reason is that females are usually portrayed strategically by sexualizing them and the target market (other females) do not respond favorably to this. These female athletes are far behind their male counterparts earnings-wise, but hopefully that will be changing in the near future. 

"The Alchemy of Olympics Advertising & Sponsorship: Turning the Games into Gold"

From the Journal of Management Policy and Practice

Review by Ben Thacker in KIN 501

Over the past several months, there have been several current events that pertain to marketing within the sports world. The first that came to my mind was the Olympics. The Olympics are a fantastic opportunity for companies to get their name to people watching the games on both TV and at the events. Companies take advantage of marketing during the Olympics by utilizing both sponsorship and or advertising techniques. Companies that utilize sponsorship own some of the rights to the event and their competitors aren’t allowed to participate at the event itself.

The Alchemy of Olympics Advertising & Sponsorship: Turning the Games into Gold is an article that hypothesizes whether advertising and sponsorship in the Olympic games actually helps to generate stock increases in stock prices. The article hypothesized that Olympic stocks would outperform the SAP 500 during the Olympic games, during a four week period thirteen weeks before the Olympics there would be no significant difference between the Olympic stocks and the SAP 500, companies that use sponsorship and advertising do better than companies just advertising and companies that use both sponsorship and advertisements will not see a major difference in a four week period thirteen weeks before the Olympics.

To accomplish this study the researchers looked at 225 publicly traded firms that had participated in the last seven summer and winter Olympics. The control period (the four week period, thirteen weeks prior to the beginning of the games) was used exactly thirteen weeks prior to the games. Comparisons of companies that used both sponsorship and advertising to companies that used just advertising techniques showed a vast difference between their stock price performances.

Overall, the study showed that these hypotheses were all confirmed. Hypothesis one was supported. Olympic Stocks did better than the SAP 500 Hypothesis two was supported. There was no significant difference between Olympic Stocks and SAP 500 in the four week period, thirteen weeks before the games. Hypothesis three and four were supported. Companies that used advertising and sponsorship outperformed companies that only used TV advertising for the first week. Lastly, the authors said that this Olympics proved to show a synergistic effect, where the Olympic stocks actually did much better than anticipated. This study may have several implications and they showed that stock prices can go up during the winter Olympics and not just the summer games. Also, this study shows that more companies would want to make future investments and lastly, firms would want to study the more successful Olympic sponsors like Coca-Cola at McDonalds.

Overall, this is an interesting study. The study shows that there is usually no correlation between advertising and sponsorships with the stock price of a company. The trend seems to show that there are several companies who benefit from being Olympic sponsors and advertisers. By doing other research and finding a relevant video, I did notice that there seems to be a trend with the research. Since Nike has been a publicly traded company they typically do well during the Olympics. The only Olympics that Nike struggled during was in 2010 at Bejing and that was during the beginning of the economic downturn. Lastly, this study seems to prove true and indicates that investors could make a fair amount of money during the Olympics if they pick the right companies during the Olympics.