‘It’s an unfiltered lens’: How athletes are using TikTok as an unofficial Olympic broadcaster
Athletes from around the world are taking to TikTok to share their experiences of the Paris Olympics, turning the platform into an unofficial, but very authentic, broadcaster of the Games. So how can brands take advantage of this?
Speaking at a panel event on Tuesday morning, hosted by M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, the Australian Olympic Committee’s (AOC) creative comms agency of record, TikTok ANZ’s publisher manager, Wade Shipard, said the platform has seen a huge shift in how the world is consuming with Olympics content, thanks to these athletes-turned-influencers.
“TikTok has become a place for sports communities, and it’s the stuff you can’t get on TV that our platform is really good at. It gives that unfiltered lens for what athletes are like, it shows their personalities and interests. And, it gives them an opportunity to grow as creators too,” he said.
A number of Australian athletes are among those taking to TikTok, including boxer Tini Rahimi. Her videos have included her experience at the Opening Ceremony, the Halal options in the Olympic Village food halls, and the fun things she and the team get up to when they’re not training.
The below video, posted just four days ago, already has over a million views.
@tinarahimii_ HAHAHA Had to lead an Aussie chant 🇦🇺😂 Im just so excited to be here!!! Alhamdullilah 🤲🏼 #paris2024 #olympicceremony #olympics @Australian Olympic Team @Olympics ♬ original sound – Tina Rahimi
A post from the Matildas’ Mackenzie Arnold got over 43 million views, while one from Aussie tennis star Daria Saville got over 17 million.
@dasha_tofu More olympic kit content #teamaus #olympics2024 #parisolympics2024 #olympicspirit #olympics ♬ original sound – kasane teto
Steve Coll, chief creative officer at M&C Saatchi Group, admitted he’s never seen anything like this before.
“We’re all so engaged, there are fewer and fewer things that bind us together as a country and a culture, and the Olympics is a wonderful example of something that has that power,” he explained.
And with the athletes giving TikTok’s consumers a behind-the-scenes look, there’s a deeper emotional connection, he acknowledged.
“From an advertising point of view, we all know how close emotional connection is to effectiveness and memorability, so for brands, being in those moments is a huge, huge opportunity.”
Shipard and Coll were joined by former Australian Olympic rower James Chapman, who was a reserve in Athens 2004 before competing in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, where he and his team took home the silver medal.
He said giving athletes these kinds of platforms is necessary, to help them succeed. He reflected on his time training for the Games, with three practices a day, on top of gym sessions, recovery sessions and more.
“You can’t hold down a full time job doing that anymore,” he said. “But you can’t be internationally competitive without seriously training like that.
“So the opportunity for athletes, and brands, now is huge – giving athletes a platform to showcase their personalities but also get access to financial support through brand deals or TikTok viewership, it’s a great idea.”
He reminded the crowd that an athlete’s Olympic campaign is not just in the year of the Games, and not just the time between Games: “It took me twelve years to win the Olympic medal, that’s a bloody long time for anyone to put their career on hold, or all their life savings, all their resources into. So brands have this new opportunity to connect with athletes on a more emotional scale, of course support them on their journeys to the Games, but also support them showcasing their personalities and individuality.”
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Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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topics
AOC
M&C Saatchi
M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment
Olympics
Paris 2024
Steve Coll
TikTok
Wade Shipard
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