Adformatie: The Olympic Games Prove That Sport Beats Traditional Marketing

“Sport has the power to change the world.” The quote by Nelson Mandela is often used to emphasize the social value of sport. That same power that makes sport socially relevant also makes it exceptionally effective commercially.

At a time when commercial messages are under pressure and brands struggle more than ever to stand out, sport offers something almost no other marketing instrument can: genuine emotion, collective experience, and credible brand meaning. And we see this once again at the Olympic Winter Games.

Sport Creates Real Emotion

One of the biggest challenges marketing faces today is that consumers are no longer waiting for commercial brand messages. Most advertising is perceived as noise. Sport breaks that pattern. Not because brands shout louder within sport, but because they become part of something people already intrinsically care about. Fans watch the Winter Games for passion, tension, and involvement.

When a brand credibly connects itself to that passion, it automatically benefits from the emotional value sport generates. That makes sports marketing fundamentally different from advertising. Brands don’t buy attention; they earn relevance within a context that already holds meaning for the target audience. The P&G “Thank You, Mom” campaign is a powerful example: not a product story, but emotional positioning centered around the mothers of athletes.

Worldwide, brands now invest approximately $250 billion in media to reach sports fans — a 150% increase over the past ten years. That growth says one thing: in a world full of advertising noise, sport remains one of the last domains where brands don’t have to force attention, but can earn meaning.

Sport Is the Last Domain of Unpredictability

Virtually all entertainment sectors are moving toward predictability. Films, series, and music are increasingly built on proven success formulas: sequels, remakes, and franchise extensions. Sport works exactly the opposite way. Even though competition structures are familiar, the outcome is always uncertain.

These Winter Games once again delivered surprises (such as the victory of Mikhail Shaidorov over Ilia Malinin), spectacle (Jens van ‘t Wout & Xandra Velzeboer), new heroes (Franjo von Allmen, Francesca Lollobrigida, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen), and historic moments such as the crash of Lindsey Vonn.

It is precisely this unpredictability that creates genuine tension and engagement. For brands, this means aligning with stories that unfold live and are authentic. At a time when consumers are increasingly allergic to staged and AI-driven marketing, sport offers a rare form of credible storytelling.

Unpredictability also enables real-time marketing. As a brand, you are not only a sponsor but also an editorial voice. A strong example around the Winter Games is FIGS, which went beyond logo exposure in collaboration with ski icon Lindsey Vonn. With the campaign “It takes heart to build bodies that break records,” the brand focused not on Vonn herself, but on her medical team. Not commercial visibility, but a human story that added real emotion — and therefore stayed with fans.

Sport Dominates Live Attention

Media consumption continues to shift toward on-demand and personalized content. At the same time, the value of live moments is growing. Live content commands attention and stimulates social interaction. Sport is unique in this respect. The Olympic Winter Games rank among the most-watched live broadcasts worldwide.

In the Netherlands, more than four million people watched the victories of Jutta Leerdam and Femke Kok — figures comparable to viewership of the Dutch national football team during major tournaments. Live sport is the only genre with growing linear viewing time. It is not watched on delay and is widely shared on social media.

For brands, this means being present at moments when consumers are truly paying attention and emotionally engaged. That increases not only visibility, but more importantly brand recall and brand preference.

Sport Builds Collective Experience

Sport is inherently social. We experience the Winter Games together — in front of the television or at the office coffee machine. When brands become part of this social context, they benefit from something difficult to create through traditional campaigns: long-term emotional brand relationships. Fans perceive sponsors as partners in their passion — provided the collaboration is credible.

That credibility emerges when brand and sport align seamlessly in content and when the brand demonstrably adds value to the fan experience.

Sport Provides Content, Not Just Media

Digital channels demand a continuous stream of relevant stories, formats, and interaction. Sport offers brands access to an almost inexhaustible source of content: performance, setbacks, perseverance, and team spirit. These are human themes that align seamlessly with brand positioning and storytelling. Moreover, sports content continuously evolves, allowing brands to remain structurally relevant rather than relying on isolated campaigns.

Innovations such as drone footage during the Winter Games further enhance the fan experience: viewers experience speed, risk, and altitude differences from perspectives traditional cameras cannot provide. Technology deepens emotion — and therefore the brand context.

Sport Is Not a Media Channel, but Culture

The biggest mistake brands still make is treating sport as just another media channel — as a place to buy reach. But sport is not advertising space. It is a cultural ecosystem where emotion, identity, and community come together. You don’t buy attention there; you earn meaning.

Brands that truly leverage sport understand that difference. They invest not only in visibility, but in participation. In presence that adds something to the fan experience. You see this, for example, in the TeamNL House initiative by the Dutch State Lottery, where national pride becomes tangible and where athletes, fans, and partners come together. Brands are not just visible there; they are part of the experience — building relationships rather than campaigns.

Conclusion

In a marketing world full of noise, algorithms, and fleeting attention, sport remains one of the few places where emotion, culture, and collective energy converge. That is precisely where real brand value is created. Sport is not an addition to your marketing mix. When used correctly, it becomes a foundation of your brand strategy.

Peter Lansaat is the Managing Director of Dark Horses Amsterdam. Read the full article here (in Dutch).