NBCU unveils Paris Creator Collective for Olympics coverage

Dive Brief:

NBCUniversal (NBCU) has announced a social creator program, the “Paris Creator Collective,” to supplement its coverage of the upcoming Paris Olympics, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
The program will send 27 creators to Paris for coverage of the games and was formed in partnership with Meta, Overtime, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. Advertiser partners will also be able to work with NBCU to create sponsored posts with select creators.
The creation of the platform is a symbol of how brands are looking to engage with the younger demographic and arrives as spend on influencer marketing grows. The move also represents a continued bid by NBCU to engage advertisers around the sporting event.

Dive Insight:

NBCU is continuing its work to attract advertisers around the Summer Olympics with the unveiling of the Paris Creator Collective, a program that arrives as 44% of marketers report plans to increase their investment in creators in 2024, according to findings from the Interactive Advertising Bureau and research agency TalkShoppe. The company at its One24 event in March also revealed several new innovations planned for the Paris games.

In partnership with Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube and Overtime, a sports media company, NBCU will send 27 creators to Paris for “unprecedented on-the-ground access” to create custom content. The creatives will have the chance to attend both the summer games and select U.S. Olympic Team Trials this month. The move could be appealing to advertisers, who can work with NBCU to create sponsored posts with select creators while they’re in Paris to help form stronger relationships with younger audiences.

The NBC broadcast network and Peacock streaming service will be NBCU’s primary platforms for its coverage of the Summer Olympics, which will take place July 26 to Aug. 11. The company also owns the U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2032.

NBCU has also looked to shore up additional advertising potential recently beyond the Olympics. In February, the company launched a tool designed to help local auto advertisers buy premium connected TV video with more efficiency and precision. In January, NBCU announced the launch of an artificial intelligence-driven, cross-platform media planning and activation solution called One Platform Total Audience.

Other marketers have also looked to capitalize on hype around the Summer Olympics, including Athleta, which recently unveiled a new spot starring legendary gymnast Simone Biles as part of its “Find Your Movement” campaign. Powerade similarly teamed with Biles for a global campaign unveiled in April that is focused around supporting athletes’ mental and physical well-being.