Marketing The Olympics

This week, we pay tribute to one of the greatest commercial directors in the ad business.You may not know the late Joe Sedelmaier by name, but you certainly know his work.He directed the famous “Fast Talking Man” ad for FedEx and a landmark commercial for Wendy’s that contained t ...  Show more

This encore episode of Under The Influence is one of our favourites of 2026.Lately, companies have been hijacking breaking news stories to create ads.When thieves broke into the Louvre with a ladder, the ladder company quickly produced a tongue-in-cheek ad.When the Oscars read th ...  Show more

We're in Greece to find out what challenges await the new IOC president Kirsty Coventry - the first woman and first African to hold the most powerful role in sport.The IOC faces several challenges, including the issue of paying prize money to athletes, finding a host for the 2036 ...  Show more

Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! With the 2024 Olympics beginning any day now, you’re probably (if you’re a nerd like us) asking yourself one question: what would it have been like to attend a day at the world’s first Olympic Games? The Games in ancient ...  Show more

For decades, hosting the Olympics has been seen as a prestigious opportunity to showcase a nation's success. However, history shows that these events often coincide with economic challenges. Russia hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, facing economic decline shortly after. Brazil's e ...  Show more

Why are all the Olympic Games money losers except the famous Los Angeles event in 1984? What did LA do differently? How does funding for the Olympics work? Why doesn't the IOC just buy an island to host the Olympics there every 4 years? Do Olympic athletes have a McDonalds in the ...  Show more