Events as huge as the Olympics come with a special set of challenges. How can you take advantage of the numerous opportunities these events present for furthering your brand, while avoiding a large-scale crisis?
With the right plan and team in place, your brand can position itself strategically, take action when necessary and shine in the spotlight.
So what does it take to get your brand ready for an event like the Olympics? During a recent webinar hosted by Cision and CommPRO, Finsbury’s Peter Land shared his top tips for large scale event management with Cision’s James Rubec.
Here are four best practices from Rio & Zika: Managing Communication Challenges that you need to follow when your brand is involved in a major event.
1. Prepare in advance
There’s no way to predict exactly what will happen during a big event, but you can prepare for a wide range of possibilities. Peter says putting together a crisis communications plan is not optional.
Ensure your plan is thorough and that every department in your company has had a chance to weigh in. Make sure everyone knows their role, so that if something does happen, you don’t have to spend time getting everyone in place. Practice the plan ahead of time to work out any kinks.
2. Be flexible
Sometimes, things happen that you can’t plan for. In that case, think of your crisis communications plan as a guide, but don’t be afraid to go off-plan.
“Your plan needs to be nimble enough to shift, and if it moves in another direction, you need to move with it,” says Peter.
Think outside the box and beyond your boundaries. Your communication may be perfect for a local audience, but how will it be taken globally? Consider adjusting your communication so that it appeals to all of your audiences.
3. Act on opportunities
Once a big event starts, things move fast. To capitalize on an opportunity, you need to be ready to mobilize. Your brand should have a team on the ground, ready to move when an opportunity presents itself.
“You have to have the tools and ecosystem in place to move when something happens,” says Peter.
At the Rio Olympics, McDonald’s got some attention when the Olympics athletes were seen eating food that McDonald’s provided for free. McDonald’s didn’t plan for this, but was able to take advantage by ensuring visual components were available to showcase the brand and the action.
4. Maintain authenticity
“The best laid plans can’t replace serendipity,” says Peter. “People will realize it if they’re being PR-ed.”
You can’t force something to go viral. It has to be natural and feel authentic for people to get behind it and share your story. The best thing you can do is stay true to your brand and be ready if an opportunity arises.
This also applies to choosing sponsorships. If you’re looking to partner your brand with a celebrity or athlete, it needs to feel like a natural fit. The athlete or celebrity’s personality needs to match the personality of your brand.
With a well-thought out plan in place and a commitment to authenticity, your brand can go for the gold, reach Olympic heights and better connect with your audience.
Hear more from James and Peter by viewing our on-demand archive of Rio & Zika: Managing Communication Challenges.
Author Maria Materise is a content marketing specialist for Cision. Formerly a copywriter, she enjoys creating content that excites and inspires audiences. She is an avid reader, movie trivia geek, Harry Potter fanatic and makeup junkie.
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