The Paris Olympics this year are set to be a landmark event not just for athletes but also for the world of sports advertising. A significant development is the emergence of TikTok as a major platform for advertising, despite the U.S. Congress voting to ban it months ago.
Its dominance among younger audiences and potential for integrating e-commerce elements are compelling advertisers to allocate more of their budgets to TikTok. The shifting relevance of platforms like X, previously crucial for sports marketing, further highlights TikTok’s growing influence in this space.
Robert Anderson of NatWest referred to the Paris Games as “the first real social Olympics,” indicating a strategic focus on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, alongside traditional media.
This aligns with GroupM’s forecast of a 9.9% increase in advertiser spending on paid social channels, projecting a total of $342.9 billion in 2024, with a significant portion directed towards TikTok. According to Forrester’s 2024 Marketing Survey, 67% of B2C marketers in the U.S. plan to boost their investment in TikTok this year.
TikTok Dominates Sports Advertising at the Paris Olympics Despite U.S. Ban
Samsung, a worldwide sponsor of the Games, has initiated a campaign featuring a TikTok filter, with a substantial part of the budget allocated to TikTok. Jay Phillips of BBH London emphasized the importance of targeting Gen Z through TikTok, noting the platform’s relevance to this demographic.
Similarly, Visa’s CMO, Mary Ann Reilly, mentioned TikTok as a key component in attracting younger audiences, though specific budget details were not disclosed.
The trend towards TikTok is a response to evolving viewing habits, particularly among Gen Z, who prefer consuming sports and entertainment content through short highlights and clips rather than traditional TV or streaming services.
Amy Luca of Monks highlighted this shift, explaining that unless people are very passionate about a sport, they would likely wait for highlights on TikTok. This sentiment was echoed by Phillips, who emphasized Samsung’s focus on connecting with Gen Z due to their limited interest in the Olympics.
The landscape of sports advertising has undergone significant changes since the last summer Games in Tokyo 2021, with a noticeable shift from platforms like X to social media giants like TikTok.
As a major advertising force at the Paris Olympics, TikTok now commands a considerable portion of client media budgets, according to Charles Ruyant of Thyga. Meanwhile, X has become less significant in media plans, with many brands now avoiding it completely.
Instagram Reels and YouTube are also gaining traction as alternative platforms alongside TikTok, driven by similar viewing habits. Meta platforms remain crucial in the media strategies of many marketers. The growing confidence in TikTok’s e-commerce capabilities, as highlighted by Kelsey Chickering of Forrester, is another factor driving its popularity.
TikTok Shop has proven effective in engaging consumers, with brands like Puma experiencing substantial revenue increases through targeted ads. This ability to execute full-funnel campaigns is proving advantageous for performance-focused clients, reinforcing TikTok’s position in the advertising ecosystem.
