Who won the public opinion games?
James Smythe, Culture of Insight, analyses a post-Olympic poll – generally great news for our great country – but wonders whether London 2012’s legacy for most people will be as a shining benchmark against which everything will now seem to be rather disappointing…
The Medallists
According to a post-Olympic Games poll*, the public sense of pride in London 2012 has rubbed off on all sorts of institutions but glory hunters should beware: goodwill has to be earned.
When a sample of the public was questioned on whether the Games had changed their opinions positively or negatively, the biggest winners were the United Kingdom, the Olympic movement, volunteering and ‘minority’ sports.
Towards the United Kingdom, 30% felt much more positive and 33% a little more, while only 4% felt at all less positive, a net positive change of +59 points. Opinions went up a net +50 for volunteering and +48 for both minority sports and the Olympic movement.
The Army (+47), Union flag (+45), and the BBC (+43) also enjoyed big uplifts in goodwill.
Particularly encouraging was the boost in feeling among young people, who might be inclined to reject all things institutional. They were very positive about volunteering (hard to believe as they re-assume their traditional position in front of the Xbox), while among older groups, the Army gained more.
Pre-Games surveys often raised the problem of how an English-hosted event could engage Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the BBC arguably facing the biggest risks. But opinions were still overwhelmingly positive, with only 11% in Wales and 12% in Scotland thinking less of the Beeb as a result of their coverage – and very similar proportions for the UK and Union flag.
The Brave Finalists
The asking price for Olympic sponsorship means only the elite of brands could play – worldwide partners paid around £65 million, 2012 partners £40 million, supporters £20 million and suppliers £10 million.
None of these deals included brand exposure in competition, so the sports sponsorship rule of thumb is that you’d spend as much again on activation marketing (including those empty corporate seats). A big investment, but for brands this size any uplift in public feeling can make a lot of money.
Twice as many survey respondents felt more positive than negative about sponsor brands (26% vs 13%, 61% felt no different). The +13 point gain may not look huge, but for already well-established brands using a sponsorship that offered minimal branding opportunities, it may still prove to be profitable.
The Bad Losers
There are clear learnings from the Games about how reflected glory can or can’t be won. The popularity of the Games did nothing for the Government, as we saw when the chancellor was given a less positive reception than a streaker could expect.
The survey results of 20% more positive vs 13% more negative for the Government (net +7) were the second worst in the poll – and actually negative among older groups, Welsh and Scottish respondents.
Sponsors clearly understood the public mood a little better, allying their activation with generous feel-good activities like the athletes’ parade rather than clambering onto the proverbial podium as the politicians (Boris excepted) appeared to do.
The only institution to fare worse than the Government was the FA Premier League, with the only net drop in positive feeling across the institutions surveyed. It would seem the British public is not delighted with the prospect of swapping the sportsmanship of the Games with nine months of John Terry and the lads.
So, generally great news for our great country. But despite the headlines, there is a gulf between a positive post-event survey and a lasting legacy. The prospects are slim of millions watching weekly cycle races, or smiling volunteers greeting us at the tube on a winter’s morning. Perhaps London 2012’s legacy for most people will be as a shining benchmark, against which everything will now seem to be rather disappointing.
*Study by Aurora Market Research and Culture of Insight, Sample 1014 nat rep adults 16+, w/c 13th August 2012. Results available in full at http://www.cultureofinsight.com/flash/aurora_cofi_olympics_research.swf
n.b. The study took place between the Olympics and Paralympics, but it would be reasonable to expect that perceptions of disability would have been changed positively.