Olympics
Marketers Can Learn From Rio's Olympic Victory
Allen Adamson, 10.13.09, 07:30 PM EDTThe city won its Olympic bid based on gold-medal branding.
[Link: http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/13/olympics-branding-rio-cmo-network-adamson.html] 
While the conservative and liberal media continue to go at each other regarding Chicago's loss of its bid to host the 2016 Olympics (and before they get really revved on the recent Nobel Peace Prize announcement), I suggest they give it a rest and look at the International Olympic Committee's decision from a branding perspective.
I happen to think that the folks who were in charge of the Olympics branding strategy in Rio de Janeiro did a phenomenal job of differentiating Rio's promise from the other cities in contention, and then clearly establishing its relevance to the IOC. In other words, the "Brand Rio" team followed a couple of the basic rules of smart brand management and came out the category leader as a result.
There is almost no brand category that isn't awash in choices. Whether cars or cosmetics, beverages or baby carriages, there is a lot of stuff out there and most of it is pretty similar. The competition for consumer attention is fierce and it can't be won on table stakes. The only way a decent brand can ever hope of becoming the chosen brand is to make a promise that's completely different from any its competitors' and ensure that this difference is meaningful to its target audience. In an ever-expanding global marketplace, this is getting harder and harder to do.
When the cities vying for the attention of the IOC began their brand strategizing, each had to identify a point of relevant differentiation with which to wow the judges. Taking a look at the video portion of these presentations, it was easy to see that each city had the table stakes down pat. The happy, friendly people, evocative cityscapes, the financial wherewithal and the political clout to get things done and, of course, the respect for athletics were all well expressed.
But although the branding execution was clever across the board, only one bidding city was able to promise something none of the others could promise. Rio found something simple and unique on which to base its claim and it made its point loud and clear. No amount of branding acumen, no matter how brilliant, could have offered the IOC judges what Rio gave them. Its promise was focused and distinct.
Aside from the above-mentioned table stakes, despite its sexy beaches and bathing suits, world-famous carnival and world-renowned HIV/AIDS program, the Rio brand team's differentiating factor was Brazil's growing international influence and leadership among emerging nations. It communicated skillfully that, under its current president, it had become one of the hottest countries on the world market and that its current economic boom has placed it among the world's wealthiest nations. Core to its brand promise was the fact that Brazil is the only one of these nations never to have hosted the Olympics and, if chosen, would also be the first country in South America to enjoy the privilege of having the world's athletes as its guests.
