“Nothing changes the narrative like a success,” said Simon, global creative lead and chief creative officer for public relations firm Edelman Canada.Still, the mood heading into the first weekend of competition was sombre as rising infection rates risked eclipsing the world’s premier athletic competition.
The unprecedented move underscores how contentious the postponed 2020 Olympics have become, with rising boardroom fears of being connected to the pandemic-era event and the potential impact on a brand’s reputation.“What matters is that retain their reputation and that might mean walking away,” said marketing expert Markus Giesler. “Toyota recognized this and pulled their ads in Japan, and it came across as the responsible thing to do.
“There’s still tremendous value in the Olympics,” Simon said. “NBC has shown that their ad sales are more robust than ever. From a North American standpoint, it’s full-steam ahead.”NBC Universal said last year it had sold more than $1.25-billion in advertising for the Tokyo Olympics, a record-setting amount for the Games.
“The Olympics have been inscribed with values and morals that have taken on a near mythical status, and companies want to be associated with that,” he said. “They want those positive feelings of great competition and camaraderie reflected in their brand.” But despite the potential pitfalls, she said advertising that lauds the accomplishments of Canadian athletes continues to be a safe bet.