Event planners reflect on the spontaneity, sustainability and technology on show at the world's biggest sporting event. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/deagreez
With the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games kicking off this week,
all eyes are once again on the French capital. But what memories and
legacies did the Summer Games create and what can event planners learn
from these?
Championing sustainability, accessibility, and diversity
Julien Le Bas, SVP, executive creative director, global head of
sustainability at Jack Morton says the 33rd Games felt more spontaneous,
fresher and less predictable. The event set the bar high on a number of levels,
he says, not least with the opening ceremony being one of the boldest
and most impressive grand pieces of theatre, orchestrated by Thomas
Jolly, the artistic director for the Ceremonies.
“Good theatre provokes debates and courts controversy, and this
ceremony surely did spark the debate,” he says. “They took the Games out
of the stadium and brought it to the people, allowing everyone to
experience it.”
From the use of colours for vision-impaired people to the banning of SWAG, these guidelines pushed brands and countries to innovate, creating not just memorable experiences but lasting legacies.
Julien Le Bas, SVP, executive creative director, global head of sustainability, Jack Morton
According to Le Bas, a few common themes emerged: sustainability, accessibility, and diversity.
“In Paris, there is a new dimension to consider,” he says. “From the
use of colours for vision-impaired people to the banning of SWAG, these
guidelines pushed brands and countries to innovate, creating not just
memorable experiences but lasting legacies.”
Experiences boosted by technology
Sarah Bailey, senior creative director at Invnt.Atom says technology
was used in more inventive ways, offering new avenues for athletes to
engage with their fans and greater accessibility for viewers. She
highlights the many viral moments shared on social media around the
world, from breakdancing to medal biting,
“This goes to show that it’s not always just the sports, but the
stories behind the athletes which drive true fandom and loyalists -
something that brands should note as a takeaway,” she says.
“From Snapchat launching their new augmented reality and content
partnerships for the Olympics, to Intel powering 8K live streams via AI
technologies to provide interactive experience for fans, another
takeaway is that when it comes to global experiences, technology has
made access to them limitless,” Bailey adds.
When it comes to global experiences, technology has made access to them limitless.
Sarah Bailey, senior creative director, Invnt.Atom
Bailey says that while the opening ceremony featured a combination of
wacky and wonderful moments, its celebration of the LGBTQ+ community
truly showed that the best experiences are the ones that stand for
something, and which helps events resonate on a global scale.
“The Olympics have embodied a strong sense of global unity, this year
even more so,” she says. “The legacy of these Games lies in its ability
to weave together compelling narratives and authentic experiences,
creating a rich tapestry of heartwarming, challenging, and resonating
moments which have connected deeply to audiences around the world.”