In It To Win It

7/1/2012

The 2012 London Summer Olympics have inspired a range of companies to go for the gold in terms of tie-in marketing.

With the 2012 Summer Olympics starting in London later this month, pre-games anticipation is reaching a fever pitch.

That means consumer packaged goods companies are gearing up to help shoppers get their fill of Games-related excitement through related sponsorships, spokespeople, contests, limited-time products and the like — all while raising visibility and sales of their products.

"The Olympic Games are the largest global sporting event and a global marketing opportunity," notes Sandy Uridge, senior director, Kellogg Integrated Promotion at the iconic Battle Creek, Mich.-based company, whose support of the historic sporting events dates from 1976.

To that end, and because the 2012 games, running July 27 through Aug. 12, promise to be "the most social … ever," according to Uridge, Kellogg's current Olympic program, which was more than a year in the making, provides consumers — particularly parents and baby boomers — the opportunity to view Team Kellogg's Start Stories and "Start Like a Champion" nutritional videos online at Kelloggs.com/teamusa. The brand will also update consumers on the action from London, inviting them to join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

At retail, Team Kellogg's athletes appear on Olympic-themed point-of sale displays, while special-edition Kellogg's Corn Flakes boxes spotlighting each athlete and emphasizing the importance of a great breakfast will be available up to and throughout the Games. Beyond the cereal aisle, Kellogg's sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) includes the company's toaster pastries, frozen waffles and pancakes, fruit-flavored snack pieces, cereal bars, and cookies and crackers. "Additionally, many of our customers have customized programs through partnerships between Kellogg and other Olympic CPG partners," notes Uridge.

P&G's Olympic Umbrella

Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble's (P&G) Olympic marketing ideas "are highly engaging with consumers," according to external relations manager Glenn Williams, who cites as examples Tide's "Proud Keeper of the Red, White and Blue," and Gillette's focus on the importance of "Great Starts." All of the brands' campaigns will be further supported by P&G's over-arching corporate umbrella campaign, "Thank You, Mom,'" which pays tribute to the role mothers play in raising Olympians, with support from such familiar P&G brands as Tide, Pampers and Bounty, Williams adds.

Joining forces with Team USA led to P&G's sponsorship of 28 high-profile athletes "who will help us carry our product messages to consumers in media appearances, paid advertising and other events," says Williams, adding that the partnership "also entitles us to use of the Olympic rings on packages and other marketing communications, all leveraging appeal of the Games."

More than 600 P&G SKUs featuring tie-in packaging are now available to the company's retail partners, with on-shelf and custom displays up at virtually every one.

Going for the Liquid Gold

Soft-drink giant Coca-Cola has similarly big plans. "Our 2012 Olympic Games campaign is the largest integrated campaign the company has executed, covering all channels," says Paul Beaupre, group director for large-store channel, Coca-Cola Refreshments, at the Atlanta-based company. "Our national program will feature two phases of activation including POS, premiums, packaging, multicultural overlay, our Coca-Cola 'Eight-Pack' of Athletes, comprehensive media/digital/social programs, and an Olympic Torch Relay program."

Beaupre explains the particular importance of reaching out to an ethnically diverse consumer base. "Strong multicultural overlays will expand the breadth of our activation with Hispanic and African-American consumers, a first compared to previous Olympic Games activation," he says.

Although digital initiatives like interactive displays, sweepstakes or QR codes are key to generating excitement, Beaupre stresses that traditional marketing elements such as TV ads and in-store materials are still important. What's more, themed packaging "brings to life the movement of our athletes and celebrates the patriotism Olympics spark in all of us," he observes. According to Beaupre, the campaign encompasses "a large variety of products from the Coca-Cola Co., with Coca-Cola itself serving as the flagship brand."

Further, under Coca-Cola's "Power of Many" initiative, the company is collaborating with retail customers on tailored programs that leverage its relationship with other CPG companies that are also Olympic sponsors.

"Shopper marketing programs operating under the Olympic banner offer the excitement and allure of the sporting event, deliver the opportunity for shoppers to purchase everyday goods at value prices when purchased in tandem, and may also offer rewards such as gift cards or Olympic-themed premiums," says Beaupre.

Red, White and Bud

Meanwhile, St. Louis-based Budweiser, whose partnership with the USOC spans nearly three decades, is featuring five U.S. Olympic hopefuls on point-of-sale retail materials, and introduced a limited-edition Olympic-themed 16-ounce aluminum bottle in June. The brand also has a significant broadcast buy for the occasion.

But the all-American theme extends beyond the games, according to the beer manufacturer. "The Olympics packaging is one component of what we are calling Budweiser's 'Red, White and Blue Summer,'" says Rob McCarthy, VP for the Anheuser-Busch flagship brand. "We also are highlighting this summer a conversion to red-white-and-blue cans and bottles in a variety of sizes, which started in May."

What kind of success can companies — and their retail partners — expect from such ambitious Olympic promotions?

"Our marketing programs and retail partnerships for the [2010 Winter] Vancouver Games generated more than $100 million in incremental sales for P&G products — and our plans for the London Games are much bigger," notes P&G's Williams. In common, no doubt, with many of the other profiled manufacturers, whose involvement with the Games extends well into the future, the company is already deep in the planning stages for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

"The Olympic Games are the largest global sporting event and a global marketing opportunity."

—Sandy Uridge, Kellogg Co.

Olympic CPG Torchbearers

  • An active partner with the Olympic Games since 1928, Coca-Cola holds the title of the longest continuous corporate supporter.
  • More than a year ago, P&G invited its brands to "try out" for the Olympics by presenting themed campaign ideas exclusive for their brands. Ultimately, 30 brands were chosen.
  • Kellogg's 2012 sponsorship efforts will be its most extensive Team USA Olympic-focused marketing campaign in the history of the company's decades-long relationship with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC).
  • Budweiser has supported the Olympics since 1984, when the brand was the official beer sponsor of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. The brewer is offering Olympic-themed promotional materials in stores where it sells Budweiser, and rolled out limited-edition Olympic-themed aluminum bottles in June.
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