<\/p>\n
Olympic excitement seemed at a peak this year. Viewership was up 82% from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, according to NBCU, and use of the term \u201cpommel horse\u201d presumably rose by an even larger margin.<\/p>\n
The Paralympics, which are held a few weeks after the Olympics, have also attracted more attention from viewers, networks, and brands. This year, NBCU rolled out what it called \u201cthe most comprehensive coverage of the Paralympics in US media history,\u201d and as of Sept. 5, coverage on NBC was averaging 1.32 million viewers, up 49% from the Tokyo Paralympics. Ad sales were also up more than 60% from Tokyo, per NBCU.<\/p>\n
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has seen a similar increase in sponsorship interest in the last few years, thanks to a concerted effort to boost awareness around the Paralympics, especially in the leadup to LA28, Katie Bynum, the organization\u2019s chief of strategy and growth, told Marketing Brew.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe overall coverage and conversation is growing, and with that, brand interest is growing, too,\u201d Bynum said. \u201cIt\u2019s only going to grow more as a result of hosting the LA games here in four short years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part of the USOPC\u2019s plan to promote the Paralympics involves pairing it closely with the Olympics\u2014and encouraging sponsors to do the same. Team USA\u2019s brand platform includes both Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and aims to \u201cdrive awareness and more understanding of the Paralympics,\u201d Jess Park, chief of brand and fan engagement at the USOPC told Marketing Brew in April.<\/p>\n
Some brands took similar approaches to their marketing around the games. Team USA partner Reese\u2019s featured Olympic and Paralympic athletes in its Paris 2024 campaign, and worldwide sponsor Samsung gave every Olympic and Paralympic athlete a special-edition phone to capture \u201cvictory selfies\u201d from the podium. Nike continued its \u201cWinning Isn\u2019t For Everyone\u201d Olympics campaign with \u201cWinning is Winning,\u201d which spotlights Paralympiac athletes. During the Paralympics, Nike and the USOPC also announced a one-year career program for athletes focused on disability inclusion.<\/p>\n
Toyota, the presenting sponsor of NBCU\u2019s Paralympic coverage, ran six ads featuring 20 Olympic and Paralympic athletes this year, including one revolving around Canadian Paralympic track and field athlete Marissa Papaconstantinou, according to Dedra DeLilli, Toyota North America\u2019s group manager of sponsorship strategy, integration, and activation.<\/p>\n