Sportswear brands sprint to Tik-Tok gold this Olympics

As the 2024 Paris Olympics unfold, sportswear brands are executing sophisticated TikTok strategies that go far beyond traditional marketing playbooks.  

For marketers in the industry, the platform offers unprecedented opportunities to engage global audiences.

The Rise of Authentic Unboxing

Olympic "gear hauls" have emerged as a dominant trend, with athletes showcasing official merchandise in unboxing-style videos.  

American canoeist Evy Leibfarth's TikToks, featuring products from Nike, Ralph Lauren, and Skims, have garnered millions of views. This organic content creation represents a significant shift from controlled brand messaging to authentic, athlete-led storytelling. 

Brands successfully leveraging this trend are providing athletes with visually appealing packaging and encouraging creative freedom in content creation. The authenticity of these videos is driving engagement rates that far exceed traditional sponsored content. 

More Than Just Co-Branding

High-profile collaborations are generating substantial buzz, with Nike x Jacquemus setting a new standard.  

Their partnership extended beyond product design to include a short film featuring Serena Williams and Central Cee, effectively marrying sportswear with high fashion and pop culture. 

Data from recent campaigns suggests that brands maintaining a presence across the full funnel during major events often see better overall performance. They're not just capturing existing demand but continuing to create it, setting themselves up for success beyond the Olympic period. 

Nike's collaboration with Jacquemus created brand awareness and consideration, while product-focused content drove conversions. This balanced approach allows them to capitalize on immediate Olympic fervor while building long-term brand equity.

Cultural Representation as a Viral Catalyst

TikTok rewards content that taps into cultural moments and designs incorporating national heritage are seeing remarkable traction.  

Team Mongolia's uniforms by Michel&Amazonka, featuring intricate embroidery of national symbols, have become a viral sensation.  This success underscores the power of cultural storytelling in creating emotional connections with global audiences. 

Brands should consider how they can authentically incorporate cultural elements into their designs or marketing narratives, even outside of major sporting events. 

Innovative Content Approaches

Some brands are pushing creative boundaries with their Olympic-themed content. Jacquemus, for instance, produced a TikTok video featuring seniors racing over handbag "hurdles." This unexpected approach marries brand identity with Olympic spirit in a highly shareable format. 

While major sporting events like the Olympics provide a natural backdrop for sportswear marketing, brands finding success on TikTok are those thinking beyond traditional sports imagery.

Leveraging Athlete Influencers Beyond Product Showcases

Partnerships with Olympic athletes are evolving beyond simple endorsements. Top-performing brands are collaborating with athletes to create content that offers unique value to viewers, such as training insights and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the Olympic experience. 

Look for opportunities to create ongoing storytelling arcs with sponsored athletes, rather than one-off promotional posts. 

Interactive Challenges for Engagement

Olympic-themed challenges and hashtags are providing opportunities for user-generated content, significantly amplifying brand reach.  

Successful challenges are those that allow for creative interpretation while maintaining a clear link to the brand and the Olympic theme. 

Engagement rate on branded hashtags can provide valuable insights into how effectively a challenge is resonating with your target audience. 

Beyond Views and Likes

Marketers starting to leverage Tik-Tok know that surface-level metrics can be misleading. Brands leading the pack are employing comprehensive, full-funnel measurement to understand not just how their content is performing in terms of views or likes, but how it's contributing to brand awareness, consideration, and ultimately, conversions. 

As the Olympics progress, we're likely to see further innovation in how sportswear brands leverage TikTok. The strategies employed during this high-profile event offer valuable lessons for ongoing social media marketing: 

1. Prioritize authenticity in influencer partnerships 

2. Look for unexpected ways to tie your brand to cultural moments 

3. Balance product-focused content with broader brand storytelling 

4. Encourage user participation through well-designed challenges 

5. Employ comprehensive measurement to understand true campaign impact 

By embracing these principles, brands can not only capitalize on the Olympic moment but build a sustainable TikTok strategy for long-term success. And as you refine your TikTok strategy challenge yourself to look beyond immediate metrics.  

Ask: 

• How is our content contributing to long-term brand building? 

• Are we balancing conversion-focused content with awareness and consideration? 

• How can we leverage cultural moments authentically? 

• Are we measuring the full impact of our TikTok presence across the customer journey?