Dr. Sabrina Segal

The Olympic Games provide a feel-good environment for viewers, products and sponsors. As a symbol of world peace, people tend to remember ads from the Olympics more so when compared with other programming.

According to an IAG Research study, brand recall was, on average, 17% higher for products advertised during the Olympics. It also found that viewers were 36% more likely to remember the brand message.

"There's a value associated with the Olympics that people realize, and viewers are drawn to that. It's a positive experience to see athletes of the world gathered for peaceful competition,'' said Mike McCarley, VP of communications and marketing for NBC sports. "It really resonates with viewers.''

The feelings that people have when watching their favorite athletes and countrymen are associated with a higher level of ad effectiveness. It’s no “SuperBowl” of advertising, but the Olympics do offer advertisers and viewers a happy media experience.

With the torch protests in San Francisco, England, and France, and the unrest in Tibet, how will these Olympics fare for the sponsors and advertisers of the Beijing Olympics? The controversy appears to be contained at this time, but as the Games approach, this may not be the case.

Coca Cola has been an Olympic sponsor for 80 years and is “more committed than ever to the values of the Olympic Movement – unity, pride, optimism and inspiration.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum is ad executive, Rich Silverstein of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners who says “for me, it’s no different than Hitler and the Nazi Olympics,” (a reference to the 1936 Berlin games).

Boycotts of the Opening Ceremonies are being debated by world powers. Even Steven Spielberg has relinquished his role as artistic advisor in protest over China’s role in the Sudan. The controversy is stirring. What if Toronto won the bid for the 2008 Olympics? Would so much media coverage exist?

Will advertisers avoid the Beijing Olympics? Will ads be as effective considering the controversy over human rights violations? In general, do you think the Olympics are representative of our new global era or just another “remake of an old song?”

Photo Credit: Dr. Sabrina Segal