In the months and years following an Olympic Games, World Cup or any other worldwide sporting event, the host country always seems to suffer a hangover.
After the billions of dollars are invested and everyone goes home, the soul-searching begins. How do we leverage the exposure? How will we use the new infrastructure? Will all those visitors come back? Did we see any economic benefit? Was it worth it?
In the excitement of putting together the event, countries too often neglect their post-event plans. They fail to consider the longer-term opportunities. They don’t connect the event to a larger narrative that strikes a positive emotional chord with residents and tourists. Just ask Sochi. Or Beijing, which doubled down to host both a summer and winter Olympics.
The 2016 Olympic Games can’t come at a better time for Brazil. Between political unrest, environmental concerns, a struggling economy and underutilised assets from the World Cup, Brazil is in desperate need of a positive brand makeover. It must tell a great story that cements its stature as a world-class sporting destination and inspires people around the world over to visit and return.
The 5 E’s of Destination Storytelling
Every great brand story starts in the heart of the audience and taps into the universal emotions and shared experiences that connect it to the audience. Brazil should utilise the five core principles of creating an emotionally engaging brand destination.
Entice – Instead of limiting the 2016 Olympics to a 17-day sporting event, what if Brazil used the opportunity to establish itself as the preeminent sporting destination for all athletes? It could simultaneously appeal to elite competitors and the broader audience of amateur and hobbyist athletes. During the enticement phase, Brazil needs to make a bold promise: In 2016, the world will experience sport in a way never before imagined.
Enter – The Entry Experience for any destination has to continue the promise of Enticement, while affirming that it will soon be fulfilled. The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games is the ultimate entry, one that builds on the mythology of the event and uses sport as a metaphor for the highs and lows of the human experience. It gives everyone who experiences the Olympics, in any capacity and from any location, an immediate emotional souvenir that can endure throughout the event and well beyond.
London used the Opening Ceremonies to great effect in 2012. It celebrated the athletes and the games, while also reminding the world of the UK’s rich history and tremendous contributions to industry, technology and pop culture. The Guardian called it “madcap, surreal and moving.” It was also unforgettable.
Engage – While the Games themselves are exciting, Brazil needs to weave its own storyline into the Olympic narrative in a way that emotionally engages attendees and the worldwide audience. Great stories have a focused message and clear narrative arc that take the audience on an exciting journey of exploration, discovery and play.
To that end, Brazil could create, in satellite locations around the world, branded pop-up experiences that use technology to put guests inside the Olympics. These Olympic Experience Centers would give Brazil the opportunity to build on the global attention by reinforcing its branding as the premiere destination for the best that sports has to offer.
Exit – Just like any athlete, Brazil needs to finish strong. The Closing Ceremonies offer a natural opportunity to bring the country’s Olympic story to a satisfying close and, importantly, leave the global audience craving more.
Extend – Most importantly, Brazil’s brand narrative cannot end when the Olympic torch is extinguished. The story needs to be told over and over until it becomes part of the fabric of the country’s identity.
This could be done through partnerships with national cultural institutions to create permanent interactive sporting experiences throughout the. Brazil could make a strong commitment to the fitness of young people worldwide by transforming the Olympic Village into a conduit for sporting excellence with national training centers and partnerships with the world’s biggest sporting brands. It could create a permanent attraction for locals and tourists to experience the emotional thrill of the Olympics long after the Games end.
By focusing on the fundamental 5 E’s of brand destination storytelling, Brazil can get long-lasting value from its investment in next year’s summer Olympics. Brazil, the ball is in your court.
By Brad Shelton, creative director at BRC Imagination Arts.
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