ARCHIVES: This is legacy content from before Marketing Dive acquired Mobile Marketer in early 2017. Some information, such as publication dates, may not have migrated over. Check out the new Marketing Dive site for the latest marketing news.

International Olympic Committee rolls out foursquare initiative to make games more social

The International Olympic Committee is using foursquare as part of its commitment to making social an integral part of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.

The Summer Olympic Games will take place on June 23. By adding a social element, the International Olympic Committee is hoping to make the event more interactive.

?The initial foursquare integration strategy is about the fight against sedentary behavior,? said Alexandre Huot, head of social media at The International Olympics Committee.

?On June 23, 2012, Olympic Day ? a day that is celebrated in over 160 countries by promoting fitness and overall well-being regardless of age, gender or athletic ability will be upon us,? he said.

?Foursquare users are naturally on the move and we want to reward our fans that check into two sports-related locations with the possibility to win a trip to the London Games on the road to Olympic Day. We hope that this will inspire others to practice and engage in sports and stay fit.?

Checking in
The International Olympic Committee?s foursquare page features historical facts about the Olympics, information about stadiums and facilities and will soon feature locations where athletes have trained and places that might have inspired them.

The initiative is encouraging users to get active by checking into sports venues around the world on foursquare ? including past, current and future Olympic stadiums and training centers.

When users check-in to at least two affiliated venues and follow the IOC on foursquare, they unlock the official ?Get Fit for Olympic Day? badge and will be directed to enter a contest to win a trip to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

?The idea of leaving tips, rewards, and geo-localizing the experience seems intrinsic to the platform which is very interesting,? Mr. Huot  said. ?We [the IOC] have also seen a rise in the users that engage in this platform in two key countries: Russia (home of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games) and Brazil (home of the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games).?

?Coming back to the concept of leaving tips we also want to connect with as many athletes as possible and get fans to follow, connect and discover them,? he said. ?We could imagine cross-promoting athletes' social profiles that are on the Olympic Athletes Hub (olympic.org/hub) within a tip that we leave on foursquare.

?This could increase the number of followers they have and give a unique experience to our fans.?

Getting interactive
To get the word out about the initiative, IOC is using all of its social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

The company is also working with its stakeholders, the National Olympic Committees, the international sports federations and the organizing committees of future Olympic games such as Rio 2016.

?The Olympic conversation is clearly shifting to one that you hold ?in your hands? or that is in ?your pocket? and we want to be there too,? Mr. Huot  said. ?We're planning a series of  cool integrations ahead of the Games which will bring to life a totally new way that fans can experience the Olympics.

?Mobile access to results, calendars of events, competitions and things like behind-the-scenes coverage, will contribute nicely to making these games not only the first social media Olympics but quite possibly the first mobile Olympics which is pretty cool,? he said. ?There is little doubt that the mobile experience will also bring a new level of fun as a new Gaming  experiences get rolled out the closer we get to London 2012.

?In the coming weeks we will see more and more activation in the mobile space which will surely delight the mobile community.?

Final Take