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The Digital Olympics

Much talk was made of this being the first digital Olympics. And the stats back that up. 15 million app downloads, 4.7 million twitter followers, 431 million visits, 4.73 billion page views.

Six years ago started the London Olympics social media journey, taking a course that included the current website, london2012.com, 60+ consumer facing services and applications delivered using new media during and before the Games, results services delivered using new media at games time and a series of strategic consumer facing sponsored new media and social media initiatives.

Here Alex Balfour discusses the route map and the final outcome of what has to be seen as one of the greatest digital projects undertaken. 

Alex Balfour
Head of new media
LOCOG 

The Real Thing 

Coca-Cola is the longest continuous sponsor of the Olympics. For London 2012 its activity wasn't spread over the month-long Games period - it started three months previously with the company's involvement with the torch relay. With so much activity, the sponsorship programme needed to combine creative excellence with military precision.  

From the outset the strategy was to mirror customer facing comms activity with an internal programme designed to energise, inspire and engage Coca-Cola Enterprises' 5000 employees. The result was one of the most exciting employee engagement programmes produced. Coca-Cola Enterprise's communications director, Ed Knight, brings the Olympic Coca-Cola story to life.

Ed Knight
Director of communications
Coca-Cola Enterprises 

Teaming Up 

Sports sponsorship isn't just about the event. Many companies have engaged with their communities, their employees, their customers and other stakeholders through sponsorship of individual Olympians and Paralympians. This panel discussion focuses on companies whose Olympic journey started a number of years ago when they identified athletes at the beginning of their career. For some, that journey will continue to Rio and beyond.

Kurt Mueller
Director of corporate affairs
Grainger plc
John Robertson, Paralympic sailor
Eleni Papadopoulous, Paralympic swimmer
Stephen Miller, Paralympic field athlete

Michael Hawksley
CEO
Treat Digital
Perri Shakes Drayton, 400m hurdles
Zac Purchase, rowing

Shouting Loud

As an official licensee of London 2012, Royal Mail wanted to gain strong share of voice around the Olympics conversation on Twitter and build awareness for its London 2012 commemorative stamps featuring Team GB gold medal winners. Within a few hours of every Team GB gold medal win, Royal Mail debuted the commemorative stamp design as well alongside creative, engaging content. Royal Mail also painted its iconic Royal Mail red post boxes in the athlete’s hometown the colour gold, creating a local element to their campaign.

Abby talks through this unique real-time campaign – the highs, the challenges and the results – which delivered fantastic share of voice at both the national and local level.

Abby Guthkelch
Head of Digital Communications and Communications Planning
Royal Mail

On Track 

Transport for London's media campaign had to be pro-active. It wasn't just about getting the media on-side - it was about clear messaging, articulate positioning and a complex story. The implications of getting it wrong would have had immense repercussions for the success of the Games. 

Stuart Ross, TfL's head of news, discusses how conventional media relations, coupled with a creative digital and social media campaign, kept London's transport infrastructure running smoothly.

Stuart Ross
Head of news
TfL

Looking inward 

London 2012 galvanized the nation in a way that no one had envisaged. A significant part of that was down to the way that companies used their sponsorship of the Games to engage their internal audiences. This panel discussion focuses on some of the more creative internal communications strategies.

Thomas Coops
Head of communications
Deloitte
           
Gareth Wynn
Group Director, Olympic & Paralympic Programme
EDF Energy

Kerry O' Callaghan
Vice President, Global Brand Communications  GSK at glaxosmithkline 

Broadcasting Britain

The BBC provided the most complete coverage of any Olympic games to date, over 2500 hours of content. Traffic to BBC's sites on a single day exceeded the traffic throughout the entire World Cup. It was about enabling viewers to watch whenever they wanted, wherever they wanted. But most importantly it has led to a change in the way we as users consume media and will lead to changes in the way that broadcasters and other media owners will deliver it. This in turn will have a major impact in the way that we, as communicators, utilise broadcast opportunities.

Cait O'Riordan shares the trends, the research and the story of what was probably the biggest broadcast project ever undertaken.

Ready for Rio

London 2012 gave us Our Greatest Team, but what happens next? How can Team GB build on their achievements and, equally importantly, how can communications professionals leverage the opportunities presented to them by Rio2016. Hugh Chambers, CCO from the British OIympics Association discusses why London 2012 was so important, and how brands can engage their customers, their staff and other stakeholders on the journey to Rio.

Hugh Chambers, CCO, The British Olympic Association

Inspiring a generation

Bronze medalist, Team GB women's hockey captain, Kate Walsh, will be answering your questions on her experience of the London 2012 Olympics.

In what way can athletes maintain the Olympic legacy and inspire the next generation? Was it difficult facing the media frenzy? How much support did the other Team GB athletes provide during the Olympics? How did Kate inspire and lead her team (despite a broken jaw) to their first Olympic medal in 20 years?

Kate (and her medal) will be provide an insight from the inside of the word's greatest sporting event.