The 2024 Paris Olympics officially begin tomorrow. But as more viewers than ever prepare to watch the Games via social media, it feels like we’ll be seeing most of the Paris games via a vertical screen.
From all angles, the creator economy is inescapable. Olympians are moonlighting as influencers, and content creators like Kai Cenat and Alex Cooper of “Call Her Daddy” are being drafted in to cover the games straight from Paris.
A new study by talent agency UTA also found 78% of consumers will be watching the Games via social media. With that in mind, one thing’s for sure — 2024 will be the Influencer Olympics.
Which influencers are going to the Olympics?
It’s impossible to name all the Olympians-turned-influencers out there (although Vulture made a valiant attempt). But what’s become clear is that it isn’t just the divers that are making a splash.
Take American rugby player Ariana Ramsey, for instance. She told Reuters that trying to make viral Olympics content is a “whole second job.”
“You don’t have to have a big name,” she added. “You have something unique to tell and to share that brands want access to.”
Meanwhile, Australian water polo athlete Tilly Kearns has carved out a niche for herself by extensively covering the cardboard bed situation at the Olympic Village.
Dani Ramirez, a Team USA “artistic swimmer,” also told Rolling Stone how she raised awareness of her niche sport through ASMR videos.
“The part that captivates people is it can be extremely confusing upon first glance,” she said. “Then when you learn what it’s really for, you fall down this rabbit hole of a sport that you’ve either never seen before.”
Meanwhile, at least 27 influencers who aren’t Olympians are also expected to make an appearance on behalf of NBCUniversal.
As part of a collaboration with NBC and its streaming platform Peacock, top creators are being dispatched to report from all the major platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snap.
How are sponsors serving influencers at the Olympics?
Some of the Olympics’ biggest sponsors, like Visa and Samsung, are encouraging athletes to tap into their inner influencer. Samsung, for instance, has provided all Olympic athletes with a brand new flip-phone perfect for TikTok-ing.
Meanwhile, competitors who work closely with Visa as one of their “Team Visa” athletes were treated to “a masterclass in digital storytelling.” This masterclass, which went through practicalities like how to use TikTok, was in turn run by content creators.
“Helping in how they are going to engage with their fans and be better and more comfortable kind of in this creative space was something that was of value,” Andrea Fairchild, Visa’s senior vice president of global sponsorship strategy, told Reuters.
