Gearing up for the Paris Olympics

Key Takeaways

• Brands should bravely dive into new, neighbouring sectors with bold activations and unexpected collaborations
• Look to harness the power of surprise and unpredictability to gain the attention of shoppers during this key calendar moment. Think supersaturated pop-up events, surreal installations, in unexpected and unique locations
• To tap into youth culture, consider engaging with events and online content in the build up to the Olympics, with a focus on the new and the bold. What can you do to make sure your brand has a strong presence?

Luxury takes centre stage

The world’s of luxury and sports have been slowly converging for years, from Telfar outfitting the Liberian national teams at the 2020 Olympics, to Martine Rose designing the kits for England’s Lionesses.

But in 2024 we’ll see these partnerships go one step further.

We knew we were set for an event like no other when LVMH confirmed they would be stepping up as the official partners of the Paris Olympics. Hosted this month at Louis Vuitton’s historic home in Asnières, near Paris, the luxury conglomerate unveiled a range of luxury Chaumet medals and Louis Vuitton torch trunks set to take the ceremonies to a new level of extravagance.

LVMH were clearly on to something, as the Business of Fashion recently cited that “the global sports-sponsorship market is expected to grow from $63.1 billion in 2021 to $109.1 billion by 2030” suggesting the opportunities are huge for fashion brands to benefit from the sports industry as a vehicle for growth over the coming years.

This grand display of luxury almost makes up for the rare disruption to the yearly Paris Men’s Fashion Week and Autumn Couture shows. Clashing with the Summer Games, the shows have been brought forward to June.

The shows will open with the third edition of Vogue World (Vogue magazine’s brand spectacular), with this year’s theme centering upon the Olympics and tying the two events together, amplifying Paris as the central hub for all things sports and fashion this year.

Key takeaway: How can your brand get involved? Take inspiration from LVMH, who are proving that it’s more exciting when brands step outside of their comfort zones. Bravely dive into new, neighbouring sectors with bold activations and unexpected collaborations.

Unexpected Opportunities

Despite this diversion from the norm, The Paris Tourist Office has shared that an estimated 15.3 million visitors are expected in Paris during the Olympics, up from 6.4 million last year.

Sprawling out across the city, the games will be housed in existing venues, halving greenhouse gas emissions from the 3.5mn tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emitted on average by previous summer games that built brand new arenas for the event (source: Financial Times).

This integration into existing spaces throughout the city opens exciting opportunities for brands to pop up near hotspots or for those lucky enough to have secured prime real estate along the popular luxury destination, the Champs Elysée.

Despite age-old restrictions, stores in Paris have also been granted permission to open on Sundays during the Olympics, capitalising on the tourism and shopping potential this Summer.

So, how can your brand stand out and make the most of their physical retail space in what’s set to be the most popular city this year?

In the past, we’ve seen brands such as Puma and Omega creating activations surrounding the games and taking the opportunity to engage their audiences with the celebrations, whether that’s by hosting viewing screens and events at the Truman Brewery or an exclusive luxury retreat experience with each room paying homage to the Olympics.

Key takeaway: Brands will need to harness the power of surprise and unpredictability to gain the attention of shoppers during this critical calendar moment. Think supersaturated pop-up events, surreal installations, in unexpected and unique locations.

Connecting with a younger audience

With Olympic sponsors such as the French Popular Relief, an organisation fighting youth poverty and discrimination through access to sport, the International Olympic Committee has placed a particular emphasis on cultivating connections with a younger generation.

The Games are leaning into new sporting categories such as skateboarding, surfing and climbing as well as introducing the new addition of breakdancing for 2024.

Aiming to blend sport with urban culture and encourage engagement from younger audiences, the International Federations has developed a festival-like series with a direct path to qualification for the Olympics. The new series merges sport, art, music and culture, connecting with diverse audiences and leading to engagement with the games themselves. For example, the first event in the series, hosted in Shanghai in May, will feature activities such as on-site coaching, athletes interaction, quizzes, skill demos, exhibitions and photo opportunities.

As well as in-person events, the games will connect with a wider audience via online platforms such as the recent Let’s Move Street Challenge. This offered not only elite athletes the chance to participate, but was accessible to all who wished to upload short videos of themselves performing, whether that’s on a BMX, breakdancing or skateboarding.

Key takeaway: To tap into youth culture, brands should consider engaging with events and online content in the build up to the Olympics, with a focus on the new and the bold. What sports are your audience going to be following this summer? And how will they be getting involved? What can you do to make sure your brand has a presence there too?

Bringing the Olympics to life in stores

At StudioXAG, we know how to create that much-needed stopping-power and inspiration in stores, rolling out scenes of sports and wellbeing for brands such as lululemon, Reebok and VAARA.

We’ve previously worked with adidas Originals on the rerelease of a classic sneaker, originally designed for the Olympics in the 1970s. Athletes embraced the shoe not on the tracks and fields, but wore them between competitions and on the podiums.

To breathe new life into these historic icons, we created playful, richly textured and abstract podiums, representing a stage for sportspeople and their influential power to speak up in front of the world and inspire real change in society.

The retail landscape is headed for a transformation this summer, not just in Paris, but across the world, as shoppers seek escapism from realities of political and climate crises and look to a world of awe, surprise and inspiration.

Physical retail will play a crucial role in connecting brands with their audiences and presents brands with the opportunity to get involved with the buzz around the games, hosting events, pop-ups and store takeovers that will captivate consumers with surprise and delight.