Copenhagen/Hamburg - The Olympics need a media overhaul to embrace the digital generation, communications expert Sir Martin Sorrell told the Olympic Congress on Monday. Sorrell, the CEO of communications services giants WPP, said that mobile phone applications and internet content for this important audience are keys to the Olympic future.
Sorrell said in his keynote speech on digital media in Copenhagen that athletes must also be given freedom to report on their Olympic experience.
"Allow young people ready access to the content that you create for them. The young take their media habits with them, so if you are not part of their habit now - you most definitely will not be in their future.
"You need to be present in these environments and have a credible voice - not restricting access through copyright. Let the children play," Sorrell told the Olympians.
Sorrell highlighted that 1.6 billion people are online these days, with many using such popular forums as YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. In addition, 4 billion people own mobile phones, with smartphones making a bigger impact each year.
Sorrell said that 750 million Chinese alone own a mobile, with an 11 per cent rise each year in the country's number of internet users forecast for each of the next five years. Brazil, which will host the 2016 in Rio, will have an annual increase of 7 per cent.
"The key audience with whom these digital opportunities resonate most is of course young people. Globally they impact over 600 billion dollars in consumer spending. They are the most socially active generation and digital culture is their culture," said Sorrell.
Media owners and sports rights owners need to further adapt to this trend after the Beijing Games 2008 provided a first look into the future as the most watched ever, reversing a trend that Olympic audiences were getting older since 1984.
Content must also be reviewed, with the IOC expected to further loosen its strict view on what athletes are allowed to do and not do during the Games. Blogging athletes made their debut in Beijing and were an instant hit.
"Get personal by leveraging the power of the athletes as ambassadors for the Olympics and their individual sports. Recognise the new generation of sports heroes such as Usain Bolt and use them to grow the appeal of the Olympics," said Sorrell.
Repackaging for the new generation is also important for sponsors and advertisers, and in order to do so the Olympics must not look at other sports events but rather the entertainment industry.
The IOC itself last week relaunched its website with more content and a new look, with the home page now boasting something similar to the cover flow format of the iTunes music store and the iPod/iPhone devices.
"The most important legacy of any from the Olympic Movement is to deliver the next generation of sports fans and athletes. To do this, we must ensure the iPod, iPhone generation is tuning in, not tuning out," Sorrell said.
