The 2016 Rio Olympics had a typically global presence, but a sense of missed marketing opportunities prevails

As the curtain falls on the Rio Olympics, much has been made about the success of British athletes. Team GB, as branding guidelines specify it be called, gathered 67 medals including 27 golds – a record haul for a Games held overseas (only the 146 medals from the 1908 London Olympics stands above it).

As such, the event gained miles of column inches and millions of click-throughs. But from the run in to the competition, there were issues over how well the marketing campaign was performing.

Before the opening ceremony there were worries about the Zika virus and scandal around the Russian team’s state-sponsored doping regime. But once the action was underway, the media (including social media) became swept up in the rush of the world’s greatest athletes performing incredible feats.

Simone Biles’ blockbuster tumbles; Usain Bolt’s spring-heeled sprints; Laura Trott’s iron-willed domination: the world’s greatest sports stars descending on one city to compete guarantees multiple champagne moments. But is that enough?

Losing touch

For this Games, more than any in recent years, newspapers and blogs focused on the problematic sides of the tournament. Question marks over the validity and fairness of judging at the boxing ring definitely overshadowed the events in the Riocentro arena, for example.

For once, the prestige and glamour of the sport itself wasn’t enough to overcome the inherent problems at its administrative core.

Or, in other words: by failing to move forwards, the Olympics risks going backwards.

Just as the football World Cup has been somewhat tainted by the unedifying and unending scandals at its governing body FIFA, the Olympics, and those who broadcast its content, must learn to engage again with its public.

Bring back the connection

The BBC coverage of the Games has been generally well received. And the corporation has certainly invested hugely with a large team of pundits and expert broadcasters.

Online, all sports have been catered for with extensive coverage on the iPlayer and BBC Sport website.

But is that enough?

Double screening is by now a staple of TV watching, especially live sports events. As consumers we no longer just look for the content, we look for the content around the content.

The BBC already knows that we’re likely to be looking into athletes’ stories, social media profiles, some extra analysis or the rules of the events on our phones/tablets during the competition, so why not provide that for us through a dedicated app or section of the website that is actively linked and promoted during the coverage?

The BBC has had no competition in its Olympic coverage – if it had, would these kind of innovations have been more likely to happen?

Lessons from content marketing

This multi-faceted approach to engagement is something that content marketers know only too well. In a crowded marketplace, content marketers are forever seeking that extra point of difference.

As well as the BBC, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would also do well to look to content marketing as a source of inspiration. Content marketers know that engagement is key. A brand can’t rely on its historical significance or sentiment – it must seek to innovate and expand its reach.

When commissioning content, this outlook is vital. Strive to find a fresh voice powered by vigour and knowledge. Seek a range of experts who can meet the changing needs of your audience.

The natural vibrancy of the Olympics, and the city of Rio, should be a marketer’s dream. But people’s attentions are constantly being pulled this way and that – the days of the world sitting down to watch an event in union are long gone.

Whether incremental change or radical overhaul, garnering a connection with the people should be a priority for the IOC and for broadcasters ahead of Tokyo 2020. Content that goes beyond the broadcast may be the key.

The Ancient Greeks gave out laurels to celebrate the achievement of sporting excellence, but for too long the modern Olympics has been resting on them.