What makes a great corporate mascot? As Duolingo retires then resurrects its owl, it’s clear that mascots are serious business, says Charlie Skinner First Duolingo retired its owl, then it brought it back from the dead. Publicity stunt? Well yes. And arguably quite an effective one. What’s for certain, though, is that brand mascots mean serious business. Used for millennia by [...]
Dear Keir Starmer and Labour, please double down on funding Team GB athletes Sport Business Sport columnist Ed Warner reflects on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Team GB medal haul and UK Sport funding. Dear Sir Keir, Ms Reeves and Ms Peacock, How do you feel about Team GB’s medal tally at the Olympics? More medals, 65, than last time out in Tokyo and equal to the London 2012 [...]
How Samsung, Pampers and NBC struck gold at Paris 2024 Olympics Sport Business The Paris 2024 Olympics marked a cultural shift in how brands connect with global audiences, with the games being dubbed the “TikTok Olympics” due to many sponsors’ digital-first approach. As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) acknowledges an ageing fanbase—the average age has risen by approximately 10 years in just a decade—the need to captivate younger [...]
You can celebrate Team GB Olympics success with actual Olympians. Here’s how August 13, 2024 Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne, Pete Tong and Rag’n’Bone Man are some of the musicians playing a celebratory show this weekend to welcome Team GB Olympics winners and participants back home. The show will take place on Saturday 17 August at the AO Arena in Manchester and will be an opportunity to see the Olympians up [...]
How much UK Sport funding did each Team GB medal cost in Paris? August 12, 2024 Without UK Sport there would be no Team GB at the Olympic Games given the organisation’s role in distributing funding to athletes across the board who are challenging for medals. After the Toyko 2020 Games three years ago there were calls for drastic changes in the UK Sport funding distribution given the failure of rowing [...]
Team GB Olympian Tom Daley retires from diving August 12, 2024 Tom Daley has retired from diving after winning a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Brit competed in five Olympic Games and won medals in London, Rio, Tokyo and Paris. “It’s hard to talk about,” an emotional Daley said upon return to the UK from Paris. “I’m very proud. “I want to [...]
GDP and population Olympic Games: How do medals stack up at Paris 2024? August 12, 2024 The national peacocking that goes in tandem with the Olympic Games is nothing new, countries love being at the top of the medal table. But at what cost? A country’s GDP versus their medal haul is a great way of looking at what the the GDP per gold medal. Here are the key takeaways: Olympic [...]
Au revoir, Paris. You have been a spectacular Olympic Games host August 12, 2024 Kinzang Lhamo finished her Paris 2024 Olympic Games marathon 90 minutes after gold medallist Sifan Hassan, but she finished it. The athlete from Bhutan walked towards the finish at Les Invalides as fans walked beside her, ensuring she completed the most iconic event of any Olympiad. While she encapsulated what it means to reach the [...]
Paris 2024 vs Tokyo 2020: How do Team GB medals compare? August 11, 2024 The Olympics is over and Team GB are heading back to the United Kingdom. They won more medals than three years ago in Tokyo, but how does that break down? Their haul of 65 medals beats the 64 they won in the Japanese capital but they could muster just 14 gold medals, eight down on [...]
LA 2028: When are the next Olympic Games and how much will they cost? August 11, 2024 Are you planning to tune into the Paris 2024 Olympic Games closing ceremony today? Well when you do there will be a segment about LA 2028. The Olympics will head Stateside in four years time for the first time since Atlanta 1996, returning to Los Angeles 44 years after the West Coast last hosted a [...]