The Beauty Brands In Paris Being Offered An Olympic-Sized Opportunity

This might just be the most beautified Olympics yet.

The Summer Olympics stands tall as the 5th most-watched sporting event in the world, and this year is no exception. Drawing in 15 million spectators to France and an extra 3 billion viewers at home, the Paris 2024 Olympics is set to dominate TV channels across the globe.

And this hasn’t gone unnoticed in the marketing world.

Just as fashion dominated this year’s Super Bowl, beauty is set to dominate the Paris Olympics, with brands such as Fenty Beauty, K18, Glossier, and Caudalie already gearing up to launch resonating and impactful campaign activations. 

Today, seizing cultural moments is a non-negotiable for maintaining brand relevance and the beauty brands at the Paris Olympics know this. From CGI campaigns and athlete partnerships to kitting out volunteers and setting up beauty hubs, any and every possible aspect of this year’s summer games has been meticulously dominated. 

Brands such as Caudalie have even gone as far leveraging the controversy surrounding Paris as this year’s host city to market itself as a frontrunner among beauty brands at the Paris Olympics. Following concerns over the cleanliness of the river Seine, Caudalie launched a CGI campaign depicting its viral Vinoperfect serum being dropped into the water from a large barge in an attempt to ‘clean it up’. This not only boosts product and brand awareness, but also hijacks existing interest in the Olympics and makes product functionality compelling.

@caudalie

The serum that does it all: the Seine is free of dark spots ✨ Would you swim in a Vinoperfect river? #Caudalie #Vinoperfect

♬ original sound – forgottensongschart

And this is just the start. Not only is Procter & Gamble the official programme sponsor, solidifying its 10-year partnership with the Olympic Games by investing in 30 marketing campaigns across 40 countries, but Fenty Beauty has landed a premium partnership with the sporting event and LVMH a deal as the official partner of the Olympic and Paralympic torch relays. 

But what has been the driving force behind the domination of beauty brands at the Paris Olympics this year and what results can we expect to see as a result of their integration?

THE POWER OF LEVERAGING WOMEN’S SPORTS

More than ever, people and brands are paying attention to women’s sports.

The women’s NCAA basketball championship game in April drew in 24 million viewers across ESPN and ABC, making it the most-watched basketball game across the board since 2019. Similarly, last year in August, the viewership for the women’s FIFA World Cup Final peaked at 12 million viewers, outshining Alcaraz’s win during the men’s Wimbledon final. 

The Paris Olympics is undoubtedly set to follow suit.

Compared to the fashion industry, beauty is quick to look for the next big thing. Tapping into women’s sports fulfils exactly this, as today’s athletes are savvy about their public image, seeing themselves as brands and claiming more autonomy over where they wish to focus their efforts. 

While the newly-branded athlete provides the beauty world with a promising marketing opportunity, their increased discrimination on how/where they want to extend their name means brands need to find storytelling opportunities that match their long-term goals. This is even more the case nowadays, where major athletes like Serena Williams can easily launch their own beauty brands.

On the flip side, beauty brands have also expanded their scope in recent years. Rather than pigeon-holing themselves into outer beauty alone, they now invest in more tangible values such as wellness and inclusivity. Who better to represent health and wellness than Olympic athletes?

THE BEAUTY BRANDS AT THE PARIS OLYMPICS WINNING GOLD

Fenty Beauty

Rihanna’s makeup brand, Fenty Beauty, has been announced as an official premium partner of both the Olympics and Paralympics, making this partnership one of the brand’s most high-profile ones yet.

The 600 volunteers, aged between 18 and 21, awarding medals to athletes will receive Fenty makeup kits and tutorials. The brand will also have its own makeup artists on site to help with foundation shade matching. 

This partnership only adds to Rihanna’s own mantra when it comes to Fenty Beauty, which is that “Beauty is there to have fun with. It should never feel like pressure or a uniform”. We think so too RiRi, we think so too.

LVMH

An official premium partner of the Olympic and Paralympics Games.

Additionally…

Sephora

LVMH’s premium beauty retailer, Sephora, is the official partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays, setting up some pop-up shops within some of the torch relay cities, organising in-store events, and providing beauty treatments for medalists. 

Sephora’s stated mission is to champion a world of inspiration and inclusion, where everyone can celebrate their beauty. That chimes with the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ ethos.

Glossier Inc.

Of all beauty brands in Paris, Glossier has agreed a long-term deal to become the first official beauty partner of the USA women’s basketball teams ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

K18 & Milani

Team USA gymnasts, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, announced partnerships with K18 Hair and makeup brand, Milani.

@k18hair

Meet our newest ambassador @Simone Biles ✨Here’s some of our favorite moments on set! “The reason why I love K18 hair products is the versatility… My favorite products from #K18 would be the molecular repair oil as well as the leave-in mask.” – Simone Biles #k18hair #k18results #simonebiles

♬ original sound – K18 Hair

@milanicosmetics

@Baby Jo secret to a flawless performance? Make It Last Setting Spray!💖💦 It’s the ultimate gym bag essential, keeping her makeup game strong through every flip, twist, & winning moment. With 24HR staying power, her face stays set & focused, just like her routines. #SetWithMilani #MilaniCosmetics

♬ original sound – Milani Cosmetics

NYX Professional Makeup

Rising gymnast, Shilese Jones, has partnered with one of the beauty brands in Paris this year, NYX, making her the brand’s first individual athlete partner. Jones will be featured on NYX billboards and in social content.

@nyxcosmetics

we’re flyinggg into our sporty era with the ICON herself 👏 MISS @Shilese.Jones 👏 #gymnastics #sports #womeninsports 📸 @lgs6632 (Lloyd Smith)

♬ original sound – NYX Professional Makeup

L’Oréal

The beauty giant announced Australian footballer, Mary Fowler, as an ambassador back in March.

Olay

The brand’s new Cleansing Melts became the official face cleanser for Team USA, with five athletes – track-and-field stars Sha’Carri Richardson and Athing Mu; soccer player Rose Lavelle; sport climber Natalia Grossman, and gymnastics gold medal winner-turned-commentator Laurie Hernandez – fronting the product.

@olay

NEW 3-in-1 Olay Cleansing Melts takes on Sha’Carri’s competition – the sweat, the grit, the oil. One single Cleansing Melt cleans, tones, and refreshes. Get a 3X better clean, daily! #GameChanging #Olay #CleansingMelts #SkincareRoutine #FaceWash #CleanseLikeAChamp

♬ original sound – Olay Skin Care

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