With the 2024 Olympic Games right around the corner, companies around the world have geared up as official sponsors. Some are sponsoring the Olympics as a whole, like Airbnb and Samsung. Others are partnering with specific teams, but both of these options can be expensive.
Some brands, though, like Celsius, have decided to go another route. The energy drink company has announced a partnership with Noah Lyles, a previous Olympics bronze medalist. Working directly with athletes has allowed Celsius to advertise within the games but avoid much of the cost. However, Rule 40 of the Olympic Games places several stipulations on what marketers and athletes can and cannot do.
Celsius CMO Kyle Watson says that athletes actually come to them about collaboration. “They’ve proven to us and came to us showcasing that they really do use our product in their everyday lives, their training,” Watson said. “They believe in the product.” Additionally, the company recognizes that the trials for some of the competitions are not done yet. It is not worried about whether or not the athletes go on to the games in Paris, though. Simply being a part of the event gives Celsius the opportunity for more brand awareness. Watson says, “It’s not as much about that as it is just about the fact that they’re even in this situation to be able to compete here and have a chance at it…It’s more about that journey.”
