I have really enjoyed the Winter Olympics this year. Perhaps it is because of the especially cold and snowy winter we have endured – or perhaps it is that I am truly in awe of the athletes who can spin, jump and fly on skis. And it is easier than in years past to indulge in Olympic fever, with a multitude of media channels providing in-depth exposure. Television and online dominate the coverage, and corporate sponsors have embraced both. Visa or other sponsors go beyond logo inclusion and running tv spots, many have very extensive integrated campaigns – including social media.

Social media has played a big part of these games. Even companies who are not officially sponsors have tried to get in on the action by incorporating the Vancouver Games into their tweets.

I can see why the IOC would want to crack down on these types of “rogue” affiliations, since they have hundreds of companies who pay lots of money for corporate sponsorships, and many others who provide free products/services to the Games and the athletes. According to this NPR story, Proctor & Gamble has an entire house dedicated to making life easier for athletes and their families in Vancouver.

Many btob marketers do not have Olympic sized budgets, so it becomes even more important to carefully analyze and evaluate both traditional and emerging media channels. Circulation statements, website analytics, social media audits, and market research are tools that can be used to determine the most effective channels to reach your audience efficiently. And reading a BPA statement or drilling down through Google Analytics can sometimes be time consuming, but it is sure easier than doing a triple lutz!