This session deserves a gold medal! Linqia’s VP of Brand Strategy, Denise Vitola, hosted a dynamic conversation with Mykayla Skinner, legendary Olympic gymnast and Silver Medalist, and Yvette Michael, Coordinating Producer and Athlete Talent Manager for the Olympic Channel. The trio broke down the intricate world of brand/athlete partnerships in anticipation of the upcoming Olympic games in Paris this summer.

Here are our top key takeaways:

1. Know Rule 40 inside and out. There are very specific stipulations that must be followed if you want to partner with athletes, and understanding the rules is critical. 
2. Sometimes partnering with ex-Olympians is easier and more effective than competing athletes. 
3. You don’t have to be a top sponsor to stand out. There are many ways to get creative with athlete and Olympic partnerships that break through the noise. 
4. Number of followers isn’t the be-all when it comes to athletes, many have high value, highly engaged audiences. 
5. Working with athletes to support philanthropic causes often generates heightened engagement and earned media attention
6. Don’t Google “Top ten athletes to work with” when looking for potential athlete partners… you’re better than that. 
7. The Olympics is one of the rare times when an entire world comes together, and while it’s in the name of sport, it’s so much more. That means it’s a moment where you don’t want your brand to be absent, have a voice. 
8. Don’t just think about athletes. There are all types of influential voices that make for great partners during the Olympics. Think about how Ralph Lauren connects fashion to the Games, or how P&G puts parents front and center. 
9. This is a unique year where social media will play the biggest role it ever has, and every athlete will become a creator during the Games. 
10. There are 5 new sports coming to this year’s Olympics! 

These are just a sample of the many learnings from an action packed session. 

Want to learn more about building winning brand partnerships for the Olympics? Head to this page for our free guide on “Olympic Influencer Partnerships,” where we break down the official rules and show you how to navigate them strategically.