A bumper summer of sport continues in Paris with the return of the Summer Olympics and Paralympics – the first to face capacity crowds since the Rio Games in 2016. Yet, whilst attention focused historically on the Olympics, this year’s Paralympics are set to continue breaking records both on and off the track.
Ahead of an explosive two-week showpiece, here are three considerations for brands looking to join the action.
Cross-event support is fast becoming a must
Brands who align with sporting events should be prepared to put their money where their mouth is by simultaneously backing disability sport (Parasport). For the first time at Tokyo 2020, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Worldwide Partners each also sponsored the Paralympics, a trend continuing for Paris 2024. The Paralympics, it seems, are no longer ‘sport’s best kept secret’, as described by BP’s Duncan Blake in 2018.
Openings for longstanding association with Parasport exist. Two of the current Worldwide Paralympic Partners – ABInBev and Ottobock – are absent from the IOC’s list, whilst Paralympics GB work with several unique sponsors from the Team GB list. In an arena where athletes must fight for every penny of funding, brands could make a lasting difference to thousands of lives.
Accessibility for all
As Parasport becomes rooted in the public conscience, so the narrative around Paralympic athletes has shifted, as Channel 4’s successful awareness campaigns exemplify. Since London 2012, the broadcaster’s early campaigns focused on the ‘superhuman’ ability of Paralympians. More recently, this messaging has pivoted to illustrate Parasport athletes in day-to-day life, faced with accessibility barriers and shouldering condescending comments like: ‘you’re doing so well, considering…’
Brands seeking placements around the Paralympics can acknowledge these very human needs by ensuring advertisements are fully accessible. Indeed, both sponsors of this year’s Channel 4 coverage, Toyota and Allianz, have placed accessibility ‘at the centre’ of their idents by including audio description, British Sign Language and subtitling. Brands should ensure these creative elements are considered year-round, and not just under the Parasport spotlight.
Grow the conversation
This year, all 22 events will be telecast live from the official Paralympic feed, with Channel 4 once again serving up a feast of entertainment for Team GB fans, as the nation attempts to better its 2nd place finishes in Rio and Tokyo with the highest number of athletes across all countries.
Despite the groundbreaking support Channel 4 has provided, the Paralympics are not immune to wider TV viewership declines, with audiences for Tokyo 2020 below that of 2016. This is also reflected in social conversation, where post volume and unique authors peaked in Rio and have fallen since. Amidst these broader trends, brands can leverage their platforms to amplify Parasports back into the nation’s conscience – and keep it there.
Indeed, for Parasports to continue thriving long-term, brands must play a pivotal role in carrying the torch. Yet, such support should extend beyond opening and closing ceremonies. Public perception of disability has evolved in the past decade – but, as the tropes highlighted by Channel 4’s Paralympics campaign show, there is still much work to be done.
