The Olympic Games are more than just sporting events – it’s a global phenomenon that attracts the attention of billions of people worldwide, giving companies the unique opportunity to engage with an avid and diverse audience. The unique blend of global viewership, emotional resonance, and the prestige associated with the Olympics makes it a highly attractive event for marketers to advertise. Audiences today require more personalized content that caters to specific consumer segments of today’s world. Given that people of various cultures, languages, and age differences tune into the Olympics there is a need to engage all groups to grand attention.
This is where Generative AI (GenAI) comes into play by offering brands a way to communicate with their viewers in a new and exciting way. Leveraging this sophisticated technology, advertisers can craft exceptional, seamless campaigns that resonate deeply with viewers, ensuring a more personalized and impactful connection.
The Olympic viewer & multi-screens presence
The traditional way of watching the Olympics on linear TV has significantly shifted towards connected TV (CTV) platforms. Viewers now prefer the flexibility and convenience of watching events live/highlights or on-demand across various devices, from smart TVs to smartphones. This shift has opened new avenues for advertisers to reach highly engaged audiences looking for immersive and personalized experiences.
CTV provides a rich, interactive environment where brands can deliver targeted ads and content. The ability to gather and analyse data on viewer preferences and behaviors in real-time allows for a level of personalisation that was previously unattainable. This makes CTV an ideal platform for Olympic advertising, where the goal is to create memorable experiences that resonate with a diverse global audience.
But that’s not all – the modern Olympic viewers are no longer tethered to a single screen. The same user is found across screens at varied times of the day, depending on their interest and needs. For instance, they may tune in to the live events on their OTTs on CTV for an engaging larger-than-life experience of the sporting events, then they may consume Olympics-related content on social media on their mobiles, browse through news and lifestyle programming on FAST channels, and even consume Olympics-related content outside of their homes on the digital-out-of-home (DOOH) screens as they visit malls. This multi-screen behavior presents a range of possibilities for brands to provide an integrated advertising experience to offer enhanced brand recall throughout the user’s journey while still being consistent and overcoming ad fatigue.
AI-driven programmatic technology on CTV, mobile, and DOOH screens deliver targeting accuracy, which means that brands could potentially categorize audiences according to their demographic, geo-location, time of the day, and in the case of CTV even the screen size. Exploring a multi-pronged strategy enables advertisers to capture the interest of the most engaged audiences, and drive attention, and conversion. The combination of customized and engaging ad formats like the Smart QR codes and advanced technologies like Household Sync on CTV also makes it possible for advertisers to get more measurable and outcome-driven actions from their CTV users. This means an advertiser can target a viewer on their CTV screens, drive action on mobile, and even prompt them to make a purchase either on their mobiles or through drive-to-store and footfall tracking.
GenAI powering personalised experiences & engagement
GenAI is revolutionising the way brands create and deliver advertising content. By utilizing advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques, GenAI can generate highly personalised content that aligns with individual viewer preferences. In the context of the Olympics, this means that advertisers can tailor their messages to different segments of the audience, ensuring that each viewer receives content that is relevant and engaging. This can significantly boost viewer engagement, optimise ad spending, and positively impact a brand’s return on investment (ROI).
One of the most significant advantages of GenAI is its ability to create personalised content at scale. For example, during the Olympics, a sportswear brand can use GenAI to generate ads that feature different athletes, sports, or even languages based on the viewer's location, interests, and viewing history. This level of personalisation not only enhances the viewer's experience but also increases the likelihood of the ad resonating with the audience and driving engagement. Imagine being a global brand and being able to reach every kind of audience in their preferred language and location – and deliver content that will resonate with their specific needs!
GenAI also enables real-time adaptation of content, allowing advertisers to respond to changing viewer behaviors and preferences instantly. Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) has already made a significant impact in this space, but with GenAI it can be taken to a more scalable size. For instance, if a particular event or athlete garners significant attention, GenAI can quickly generate and deploy ads that capitalise on this trend. This agility ensures that brands can stay relevant and top-of-mind throughout the Olympic Games.
Looking to the future of transforming advertising
The Olympics are a marquee event and unique in their frequency of being a limited-time sporting event that returns every four years. This year, as the first year when GenAI ushers in digital advertising for the Olympics, its impact is most likely to be felt in the way advertising is served on digital mediums. While GenAI is still in its early stages, the potential for growth and innovation is immense. As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see even more sophisticated applications of GenAI that enhance viewer experiences and drive deeper engagement.
The dynamic nature of the Olympics, with its constantly evolving narratives and highlights, requires advertising that can adapt in real-time. GenAI excels in this area, offering the capability to quickly generate and modify content in response to live events. One of the future trends in Olympic advertising with GenAI will be the use of predictive analytics for Olympic advertising. By analysing historical data and current trends, GenAI can predict which events, athletes, and content are likely to generate the most interest among different audience segments.
This predictive capability allows advertisers to proactively create and deliver content that aligns with viewer interests, maximising engagement and impact. Another exciting development that will be keen to watch out for in the coming years is the integration of GenAI with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies.
As technology continues to advance, the potential for GenAI will only grow, opening new possibilities for creating immersive and personalized experiences. Harnessing the power of GenAI not only transforms how brands connect with audiences but also sets the stage for a future where every viewer feels uniquely seen and engaged, making each Olympic moment truly unforgettable.
The article has been authored by mediasmart chief growth officer Nikhil Kumar.
