This document provides a summary of key insights and marketing takeaways from analyzing social media, broadcasts, and other coverage of the 2012 London Olympics. It identifies several themes, including: the social games (how social media transformed the experience), the mobile games (how viewers engaged via mobile devices), the female games (prominence of women athletes), the enabled games (role of technology in performances and viewing), and the intimate games (personal interactions via social media). The Olympics demonstrated the massive scale and value of social media for brands, athletes and events.
2. Catch any of the Olympics this summer?
Miss the commentary on the coverage?
Scan the social media platforms for trends and insights?
The team at MBLM didnât attend the Olympics, but we did track, watch, read and
study the multitude of broadcasts, streams, posts and tweets with intrigue and
interest. This document outlines MBLMâsâFLTRâof the Olympics, and why we believe
the Games of the XXX Olympiad contain a treasure trove of marketing insights on
which brands in many categories can capitalize.
FLTR Olympics is the first of our monthly FLTR reports, which will represent our filter,
or take, on whatâs important, particularly as it relates to how brands and technology
connect with people.
âFaster, Higher, Strongerââthe Olympic mottoâcould very well encapsulate the insights
we gained from what became the largest brand and technology spectacle to date.
2
4. THE SOCIAL GAMES
While the Games were more inclusive than
ever, the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) became increasingly restrictive,
policing the usage of their trademarks
throughout the UK.2
Restricting brands that were not official
sponsors soured the athletes and resulted
in their protesting through social channels
to their followers.3
Angry fans protested the delay of games
and lack of live content by NBC by
complaining through social media. However,
the protests did not impact NBCâs ratings,
which were their highest ever.4
Michael Phelps, one of the most prominent
athletes of the Games, generated the most
online traffic and shares at 3 million items
per day.5
306
BILLION
Pieces of Information SHARED
OVER THE 17 days OF THE OLYMPICS
=208,333 SHARES
PER SECOND
EQUIVALENT TO EVERY PERSON
IN THE WORLD SHARING 45 times
OTHERFACTS
1
4
5. Undoubtedly the most dramatic change in how the London Olympics
were experienced was due to social media. The immediacy of the channel
provided a direct and intimate connection to the athletes and created
a forum for fans around the world to engage with the Games in massive
and profound ways.
5
The Olympics demonstratedâ
at a scale never seen beforeâ
the volume, importance and
value generated by social media
for brands, athletes, events and
sponsors.
Limiting or restricting access
to brands that were not offical
sponsors runs counter to
the wave of social innovation
witnessed during the Games,
yet brands that were not official
sponsors managed to find smart
ways to make their mark.6
Balancing increasing access to
content with managing more
restrictive trademark rights and
permissions will emerge as a
key ongoing challenge for future
Olympics.
Conclusions
THE SOCIAL GAMES
5
6. THE MOBILE GAMES
Google searches
Olympics website visits
NBC and BBC streams
Second-screen viewing didnât diminish but rather enhanced
viewersâ interest in watching the Games on TV.8
Overall, nearly 56 percent of people who followed the
Games on TV and at least one other screen did so
simultaneously. These viewers also watched TV for 67
percent longer than those who only watched TV.9
Almost half a billion viewers followed the Olympic coverage
of Chinese state broadcaster CNTV via PCs, mobile and
connected devices.10
OTHERFACTS
7
6
7. Fans followed the Games with their mobile devices and computers.
Nearly half of the audience (44 percent) used theseâsecond screensâ
to customize a more personalized viewing experience with constant,
real-time updates.11
Content followed
people not locations.
Audiences tailored
content to their
personal and not
familial or group needs.
Viewers reacted in real
time with others during
events, enhancing
âtheirâGames through
opinions and feedback.
Mobility impacted
efficiency, as 2 in
5 British workers
watched the Olympics
at work on desktops or
on their smart phones.
This multi-platform
viewership resulted
in an estimated USD
$144 Million loss of
productivity.12
THE MOBILE GAMES
Conclusions
7
8. THE FEMALE GAMES
The five athletes with the greatest percentage increase in
mentions were women, most of whom didnât have a large fan
base prior to the Games.14
Gabby Douglas won the title of âMost-Clicked Athleteâ on
NBCOlympics.com, crushing Michael Phelps by more than
11 million views. Her Facebook following increased by a
whopping 3,944 percent during the Games.15
The USAâs womenâs soccer team has won gold in four
of the last five Olympics (and a silver in 2000 after a
disputed overtime goal in the final). The quality of play
did not prevent the U.S. womenâs professional league
from disbanding in 2012.16
United States
China
Great Britain
38
29
46
GOLD MEDALS Women/TOTAL
10
29
20
OTHERFACTS
13
8
9. Women athletes were a prominent theme during the Olympics. In the
1984 Los Angeles Games, only 24 percent of the athletes were women.
In the London Games, women represented 44.4 percent of the athletes,
with every country sending at least one woman. None symbolized
achievement more than the first female athlete from Saudi Arabia
to participate in the Games.17
Can the masses get as excited
and be as supportive of women
athletes in professional leagues
as they are when those athletes
are representing their countries?
The IOC organization needs
to reflect the balance of its
constituentsâits athletes.
While 44% of the athletes in the
London Olympics were women,
only 20 percent of the IOCâs
members are women.18
There may be significant
opportunities to use women
athletes as advertising
spokespeople given their
success and visibility in the
Olympics. However, studies
show that women athletes are
generally paid less and used
less effectively than their male
counterparts.19
THE FEMALE GAMES
Conclusions
9
10. THE ENABLED GAMES
During the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, OMEGA
used only 30 stopwatches. For the 2012 Games, the
company used more than 40 tons of equipment, 450
professional timekeepers and 800 trained volunteers to
keep time. OMEGA also used 320 sport-specific scoreboards
and 180 kilometers of cable and optical fiber. 24
The Twinscam camera from Japanese broadcasting
company NHK combines images from its two lensesâ
one above and one below the waterâto create a single shot.
The result is an unbroken, undistorted view of swimmers.25
NBC reported that viewers of the London Olympics
streamed a total of 20.4 million hours of video,
and 30 percent of the total streams were viewed
via mobile applications.26
OTHERFACTS
Nike Pro TurboSpeed uniforms are
0.023 seconds
faster over 100 meters than are
previous track uniforms.
21
OLYMPIC HD SCREEN
33.1 MILLION PIXELS23
STANDARD HD SCREEN
1.3 MILLION PIXELS
Race timers now accurate to
0.00001 sec.20
634,000 LEDs
transform the Olympic venue into the
Worldâs Largest TV
Screen
22
BIGGER
BIG
FAST
FASTER
10
11. For those watching the Olympics, technology facilitated the delivery of a
completely heightened experience. Broadcasters simultaneously streamed
events across multiple devices through multiple platforms, enabling
multiscreen viewing and more program customization than ever before.
Today, technology is an essential force in every athleteâs life. Both before
and during the Olympics it is a required ingredient in fueling, shaping
and evaluating performance. Technology plays a pivotal role in how
athletes are trained, the gear they use, how they are measured and
everything they consume.
THE ENABLED GAMES
The combination of science
and technology enhanced
performances to an
unprecedented degree,
which could widen the
performance gap between
athletes in first and third-
world countries.
Technology enabled Oscar
Pistorius to capture our
hearts and minds and to
serve as an inspiration.
Oscar embraced technology
to help him overcome the
seemingly impossible to
achieve the unimaginable.
With ever more accurate
results, there is less potential
for human error.
Conclusions
11
12. THE INTIMATE GAMES
The Queenâs surprising appearance was among the most
tweeted comments about the opening ceremony.25
Missy Franklinâs and Michael Phelpsâ congratulatory tweets
from President Obama and Justin Bieber 26
, and the virality
of Mckayla Maroneyâs smirk/frown 27
showed both sides of
the power of reach and immediacy.
The U.S. Menâs Basketball team tweeted pictures of
behind-the-scenes moments, including team lunches
and teammates sleeping on the bus. 28
OTHERFACTS
24
THE INTIMATE GAMES
The Queenâs surprising appearance was among the most
tweeted comments about the opening ceremony.27
Missy Franklinâs and Michael Phelpsâ congratulatory tweets
from President Obama and Justin Bieber 28
, and the virality
of Mckayla Maroneyâs smirk/frown 29
showed both sides of
the power of reach and immediacy.
The U.S. Menâs Basketball team tweeted pictures of
behind-the-scenes moments, including team lunches
and teammates sleeping on the bus. 30
OTHERFACTS
Congrats to Michael Phelps for breaking the all-time Olympic
medal record.Youâve made your country proud. -bo
@BarackObama
Thank you Mr. President!! Itâs an honor representing the #USA!!
The best country in the world!! RT @BarackObama: ... tmi.me/ux7k2
@MichaelPhelps
Thanks bro!!! RTALilTunechi: High praises to my good friend
Michael Phelps for becoming the Olympian of all time. USA!!
@MichaelPhelps
NBA STARS LIKE
NEVER SEEN BEFORE
MISSY MAKES A MUSIC VIDEO
SMIRK GOES VIRAL
THE POSE
THE POSE
ROYAL FANATICS
THE QUEEN DROPS IN
JOHN LENNON AT THE CLOSING
â@justinbieber: heard @FranklinMissy is a fan of mine. now im a fan of hers
too. CONGRATS on winning GOLD! #muchloveâI just died! Thankyou!
@FranklinMissy
Athlete SPECTATOR
High praises to my good friend Michael Phelps for
becoming the greatest Olympian of all time.USA!!
Lil Wayne WEEZY F âŤ@ââŹLilTunechi
12
13. An array of very human, very intimate and very moving moments
brought us closer to the Games than ever before. From the Queen
dropping from a helicopter into the opening ceremonies to the image
and voice of John Lennon virtually serenading a billion viewers in the
closing ceremonies, sacred icons, idols and heroes were staged in
engaging and entertaining ways.
THE INTIMATE GAMES
The boundaries between
athletes and spectators
eroded, providing deeper
engagement for all who
took part.
The widespread use of
social media involved fans
with sponsors on a level
never before experienced.
Rich content created by
athletes (images, videos,
tweets) became high-valued,
showcased features in
traditional broadcast and
print media and often
achieved viral power on
their own.
Conclusions
13
14. The social, mobile, female, enabled, intimate games
Geater use of social media and technology transformed the Olympics into both a
greater spectacle and a more intimate Games. The London Olympics offered a rich
experience for athletes and spectators alike, engaging participants separated by
oceans, time zones and cultures.
Combined, the social, mobile, female, enabled and intimate aspects of these Games
have transformed what we expect from major events, the brands that sponsor
or affiliate with them, the participants, and the spectators. For two weeks this summer,
the global community tuned in, followed, friended, shared and browsed, and in so doing
perhaps embodied the Olympic spirit better than ever before.
14
15. acknowledgements
EXECUTIVE EDITOR:
Mario Natarelli
EDITORIALAND DESIGNTEAM:
Melissa Kalish
Daryl Drabinsky
Marc Rabinowitz
Steve Santangelo
Rina Plapler
Sidney Blank
Special thanks to the entire team at MBLM for their contributions,observations,
insights and input â their FTLR work during the Games and beyond made this
report possible.
FLTR is a monthly collection of shared ideas,thoughts and reflections gathered
from our work and the world around us.
COPYRIGHTŠAll rights reserved.2012
15
16. SOURCES & Credits
The Social Games
1 Bullas,Jeff.Staggering Social Media Statistics from the Olympics.Business2Community.com.August 14,
2012.http:/
/www.business2community.com/social-media/staggering-social-media-statistics-from-the-
olympics-infographic-0251729
2 Goldsmith,Melissa.Olympic Branding Police are Everywhere.O.Canada.July 31,2012.http:/
/o.canada.
com/2012/07/31/bc-oly-branding-day3/
3 Belson,Ken.OlympiansTake toTwitter to Protest Endorsement Rule.The NewYorkTimes.July 30,2012.
http:/
/www.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/sports/olympics/athletes-at-olympics-protest-sponsorship-rule-on-
twitter.html
4 Â
Georges,Marc. Spoilers:Angry Olympics FansTweetTheir Protests,NBC Responds.Yahoo News.July 29,
2012.http:/
/news.yahoo.com/spoilers-angry-olympics-fans-tweet-protests-nbc-responds-145211712.html
5
Olympics Inspire 150 MillionTweets.TheTelegraph.August 13,2012.http:/
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technology/twitter/9471869/Olympics-inspire-150-million-tweets.html
6 Delo,Cotton.âSocial OlympicsâOver,Brands onTwitter Shift Focus to Back to School,Black Friday.
AdAge Digital.August 21,2012.http:/
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speaker-twitter-s-joel-lunenfeld/236769/?utm_source=feedburnerutm_medium=feedutm_
campaign=Feed:+advertisingAge/Digital+%28Advertising+Age+-+Digital
The Mobile Games
7
Palma,Maija.SmartphonesTrump Desktops in OlympicsViewing.FinancialTimes.August 7,2012.
http:/
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8
London Calling: Some Reflections on the Digital Games.Google.August 14,2012.
http:/
/googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/london-calling-some-reflections-on.html
9
Ibid.
10 Roettgers,Janko.By the Numbers.How the Olympics Helped toTake Multi-Screen Online.Gigaom.August
16,2012.http:/
/gigaom.com/video/olympic-multiscreen-numbers
11
London Calling: Some Reflections on the Digital Games.Google.August 14,2012.http:/
/googleblog.
blogspot.com/2012/08/london-calling-some-reflections-on.html
12
Infographic: Some Olympic Facts.Radium.August 15,2012.
http:/
/www.hrzone.co.uk/topic/managing-people/infographic-some-olympic-facts/122785
The Female Games
13 Brennan,Christine.AmericanWomen Rule the London Olympics â NowWhat? USAToday.August 12,2012.
http:/
/www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/story/2012-08-12/London-Olympics-womens-sports-
Christine-Brennan-Title-IX/57016306/1
14 Jenkins,Sally.Womenâs Olympic Success:AFlood that Began as aTrickle.Washington Post.August 12,
2012.http:/
/www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/womens-olympic-success-a-flood-that-began-as-
a-trickle/2012/08/12/2799c9ba-e4a2-11e1-8f62-58260e3940a0_story.html
15 Fader,Lainna.WomenWere theTrendingTopic of the Games.Wired.August 16,2012.
http:/
/www.wired.com/playbook/2012/08/women-social-media-olympics/
16 Ibid.
17 EmpoweringWomeninSports.FeministMajorityFoundation.http:/
/feminist.org/research/sports/sports4.html
18 Brennan,Christine.AmericanWomen Rule the London Olympics â NowWhat? USAToday.August 12,2012.
http:/
/www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/story/2012-08-12/London-Olympics-womens-sports-
Christine-Brennan-Title-IX/57016306/1
19
Barriers toWomen inAthletic Careers,http:/
/feminist.org/research/sports/sports4.html
University of Delaware,Study finds female athletes rarely and ineffectively used as ad spokespeople,
http:/
/phys.org/news/2012-07-female-athletes-rarely-ineffectively-ad.html
The Enabled Games
20 Prindle,Drew.OlympicTech 2012: Gadgets and Gizmos of the Games.
DigitalTrends.July 27,2012.http:/
/www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/gadgets-and-gizmos-in-the-games-
tech-in-the-2012-olympics/
21 Limpert,Rick.Nike ProTurbospeed Uniforms are HighTech for theTrack.The Examiner.July 26,2012.
http:/
/www.examiner.com/article/nike-pro-turbospeed-uniforms-are-high-tech-for-the-track
22 Bond,Anthony.The greatest disco on Earth! Pixel animations turn Olympic Stadium into psychedelic light
show.Daily Mail Online.August 12,2012.http:/
/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2187468/The-greatest-
disco-Earth-Pixel-animations-turn-Olympic-Stadium-psychedelic-light-show.html
23 Engelbrecht,Lezette.FiveTech Firsts for Olympics.ITWeb.July 20,2012.
http:/
/www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=56958:five-tech-firsts-for-
olympics
24 Schaefer,Stephanie.HowAccurate is OlympicTimekeeping? JCKOnline.August 8,2012.
http:/
/www.jckonline.com/2012/08/08/how-accurate-olympic-timekeeping
25 Prindle,Drew.OlympicTech 2012: Gadgets and Gizmos of the Games.
DigitalTrends.July 27,2012.http:/
/www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/gadgets-and-gizmos-in-the-games-
tech-in-the-2012-olympics/
26 Dave Evans,How technology will evolve byâ16 Olympics,
http:/
/espn.go.com/blog/playbood/tech/post/_id/1850/how-technologywill-affect-16-olympics
The Intimate Games
27
All a-Twitter about QueenâsArrival.UKPressAssociation.July 27,2012.http:/
/www.google.com/hostednews/
ukpress/article/ALeqM5g6wTykT3GD_Bkc7ddxaG6QiBnKhQ?docId=N0070691343424991358A
28 Crouse,Karen.BestWishes from Barack and Bieber.The NewYorkTimes.August 1,2012.
http:/
/london2012.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/best-wishes-from-barack-and-justin/
29 Cohen,Ben.McKayla Is Not Impressed ByThis Meme.TheWall StreetJournal.August 8,2012.
http:/
/stream.wsj.com/story/london-olympics-2012/SS-2-13789/SS-2-43362/
30
Behind the Scenes on Instagram withTeam USAMenâs Hoops.CNN.
http:/
/www.cnn.com/2012/08/01/tech/gallery/olympics-hoops-instagram/i
Photos
3, 14
(Hyleas Founntain, US heptathlon)-Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
AP Photo
Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
3, 8, 14
Flikr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mole555/with/7751372000/)
12
Bolt-Getty, no photographer credited
Call Me Maybe - 2012 USA Olympic Swimming Team. http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=YPIA7mpm1wU
http://www.businessinsider.com/usa-basketball-2012-7?op=1
McKayla-disappointed-attributed to Getty, no photographer credited
http://www.photographytips.com.au/love-of-god-love-of-sport-same-emotions/
http://mofmofmofmof.blog.so-net.ne.jp/upload/detail/article-2184089-1466E2D6000005DC-
366_964x696.jpg.html
http://www.ringofstars.ru/across/?p=15628
http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1hl=enclient=firefox-asa=Nrls=org.mozilla:en-US
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popsugar.com/author/Karli%2520Bulnesimgurl=http://media4.onsugar.com/files/2012/07/
30/5/192/1922398/900x506Thumb.preview/i/2012-Olympics-Opening-Ceremony-Highlights-
Video.jpgw=550h=309ei=CZE7UP-UD-L00gGG8oCoAQzoom=1iact=rcdur=341sig
=117002028326553695098page=1tbnh=102tbnw=182start=0ndsp=35ved=1t:429
,r:0,s:0,i:72tx=41ty=58
16