CASE STUDY: Marketers Can Learn From Rio's Olympic Victory [Forbes.com]

Olympics

Marketers Can Learn From Rio's Olympic Victory

Allen Adamson, 10.13.09, 07:30 PM EDT

The 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.

As wonderful as the other venues' bid presentations were, Rio identified a distinctive brand promise and communicated it with style and self-confidence. That the idea was as relevant as it was distinct was quickly understood. Not only would hosting the games help strengthen Brazil's emerging economy, it would build on the country's burgeoning spirit of national pride and cooperation.

Vying to be an Olympics city is very big business, but it's only going to become an increasingly more difficult challenge to convince the IOC that a given venue is worthy of the mantle. As the world grows "flatter," as country sites become commoditized in terms of being able to support Olympics infrastructure, as cultures start to meld together in terms of smiling, happy people, great nightlife--even sexy beaches and bathing suits--the task of identifying something that truly sets a country apart from the others is going to get tougher.

Like any brand challenge, it can't be won on image alone, nor can it be won by promising to be something you're not. In this transparent, YouTube world, people will out you in an instant. While any of the potential Olympics sites would have been exciting, only one met the branding challenge set forth by the IOC, the same branding challenge faced by every brand category.

Show and tell consumers what makes your brand different and provide ample evidence that this difference is something they really care about. If the media, conservative or liberal, want to argue this point, have at it. But any branding professional will tell you it's not worth the effort.

Allen Adamson is managing director of the New York office of Landor Associates.