For years, I worked in the field of major international sport events, such as the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup. There are aspects of operating a business of that size that are not comparable to anything else, like dealing with the scale or adapting your operations in an ever-changing world to adhere to a technical manual written years ago. But, when it comes to learning about brand development, I can’t think of a more informative model for a small business owner to study.
When you work for an Olympic Organizing Committee, one of the things that is immediately apparent is the number of different functional areas of a business that exists. In a small business, we often see one person wearing many hats, and it can belie the actual number of roles being carried out by the team. In an Olympic Games, what appear to be minor nuances in operations are carried out by entire teams of people. It has to be that way to accommodate the scale. In my early days with the Olympics, it fascinated me to meet people from different teams, learn their job titles, and get into discussions about what their role involved and how I would need to interface with them.
When it comes to brand development for the Games, you would be amazed how many different departments exist to take on pieces of the project. Although the departments may not be called exactly the same thing from event to event, the functions still need to be fulfilled.
In the early years of planning an event like this, core messaging is established for each target market. There will be sponsors, partners, broadcasters, press, VIPs, athletes, officials, suppliers, government officials, staff, volunteers, seconded team members, TV viewers, spectators, cultural partners, and more. Every category breaks down to even more sub markets, and the message to each one is different. For example, you wouldn’t say exactly the same things in exactly the same way to domestic ticket holders as you would to international ones. So, the early days are about understanding what the message should be.
Then, with this blueprint, each department begins to put in motion planning elements of the brand. Launch dates are scheduled with enough space between to give each element its due attention.
How many different elements of a brand can you think of that could be launched in a year or two? Think of a ballpark number.
Now let’s look at the reality.
Here are some of the things that you can expect to see launched as part of an Olympic brand:
- Color schemes
- Fonts
- Mascots
- Logos
- Tag lines
- Look – for digital materials
- Look for local signage
- Look for city signage
- Collateral, such as business cards and letterhead
- Leave-behinds (such as brochures)
- Banners
- Meeting room names
- Medals
- Torches
- Cauldrons
- Uniforms
- Approved messaging
- Style guides
- Podium designs
- Merchandise
- Gifting for VIPs
- Press conference and other backdrops
- Websites / microsites for new programs
And this is only SOME of what went into creating a cohesive brand for these types of events!
Each time a new element was developed, it was designed to adhere to the overall theme for that market. Teams worked hard internally on their ideas, and cohesion was necessary with the elements the other departments worked on. Interdepartmental meetings were a regular occurrence to make sure we were all working toward the same vision.
Nowadays, I run a small business, and I work mostly with small business owners. The list of what we need to incorporate in our brands is simplified, with special elements like business name added into the mix. But, the principles are the same! My experience working with events like these trained me to think about keeping the target market at the center and keeping my message to them consistent in all the ways it is delivered.
You may not have your audience’s attention for long, so be mindful of what you are really saying to them with all the elements of your message! #smallbusiness #smallbiz #smb #business #biztips #entrepreneur #brand #marketing
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Inconsistencies in brand elements for major organizations such as these would be blatant and easy to spot. So, too, for your small business. You may not have your audience’s attention for long, so be mindful of what you are really saying to them with all the elements of your message! Rather than get stuck on ideas that appeal to you in the moment, make the decisions that fit with the theme you have created.
Even without the same budget and resources, you can find inspiration from these major sport events. You, too, can take a planned approach to brand development.
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