As an occasion that only happens every four years, the Olympics are a marquee event for athletes, spectators, and advertisers alike. Tack on an extra year, and the 2021 Summer Olympics has become one of the most anticipated events in half a decade.
Surveying the Olympics’ media landscape
Planning for the Olympics—including media buys—are typically completed well in advance. During the roughly two weeks of the Olympics, regularly scheduled programming is halted to make way for the games across all dayparts, including daytime prime time and now cable. Media campaigns during the Olympics are often packaged specifically for this time frame, so any previously allocated time slots are preempted until the games are complete. On top of that, getting in on the games can be costly, as buys are often packaged with minimum commitments.
Inventory for the Tokyo Olympics has become even more pressurized, as many of the media partnerships that were made in 2020 have carried over to this year, while advertisers were left in a holding pattern. That means even less available inventory for any new campaigns in an already scarce time.
Putting together the game plan
Despite the games beginning in less than two weeks, there’s still time to plan for and execute winning media strategies. Here are some ways to maximize your TV campaign outreach and still get in on the excitement:
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- Activate data on top of media buys to reach your target audience, who may be sports fanatics. Data can also help you gain efficiencies in targeting. LiveRamp’s Data Marketplace has segments to help you reach your audience, whatever your budget.
- Be an active participant in the Summer Olympics on related programming that complements the games and attracts the same audience, such as Olympic athlete documentaries and news programming.
- Capitalize on the buzz surrounding the Olympics with a more dynamic approach to your programming. Curated segments in LiveRamp’s Data Marketplace that are geared toward related interests can help you align with the biggest event of the year—without the added budget and inventory pressure.
Don’t be left at the starting line
Check out the video below, where Jay Prasad, Chief Strategy Officer for LiveRamp TV, tells how to go for the gold during the Summer Olympics. We’ve also put together a list of gold medal-worthy audiences to help you win big. You can also reach out to [email protected] for help with custom segments.