The world is once again gathering for the largest sporting event known to humankind. Symbolised by the 5 interlaced Olympic rings, the game is purposed to foster union and peace through sports among the 5 inhabited continents: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. This summer’s Olympics are seeing more than 10,000 athletes from over 200 countries competing across 32 different sports.
Tracing back, the Olympics recorded its peak attendance with 8.3 million tickets sold in Atlanta 1996 and achieved its highest TV viewership of 4.7 billion in Beijing 2008. It was all glory and fame. Yet, continuous human advancement comes in strong and changes things that have been deemed to remain evergreen. Public interest in the quadrennial game has been shrinking in recent cycles, exemplified by all-time low figures recorded for Tokyo Summer 2020 and Beijing Winter 2022 as reported by US broadcaster NBC.
It has appeared that the landscape has shifted following technological advancements and changes in audience habits. Television can’t capture the heart of tech-savvy audiences well as information is now instantly accessible via pocket-sized screens.
Recognising this cultural shift, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and relevant media are embracing innovative approaches in the hope of engaging broader and younger audiences. Examples include the use of celebrity endorsements, such as the infamous rapper Snoop Dogg carrying the Olympic torch before the opening ceremony in Paris. At this Paris Olympics, viewers can also expect new sports, such as breakdancing and skateboarding. IOC has also recently announced Olympic E-Sports games to be hosted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as the Kingdom has been entrusted with delivering some of the biggest global sports events.
As committed, we were intrigued to explore the awareness, interest, and impact of such an event on Malaysians, especially with 26 national athletes set to compete.
Malaysians Awareness on the Paris Olympic Games 2024
Aligned with the global declining viewership trends, the overall awareness among Malaysians on Paris 2024 was fairly low, standing at 45%. Among the regions, Penang showed the highest awareness at 39%, followed by KL/PJ at 33%, Johor Bahru at 23%, and Kuantan at a mere 5%. Interest in the Olympics appeared stronger among Malaysians aged 25-39, with the average age of those aware being 36.2 years old.
Gender-wise, there was only a slight 2% gap between males and females, with 49% of males and 51% of females demonstrating awareness. This trend suggests ongoing societal efforts to promote inclusivity in sports for women. Next, among ethnic groups, Indians reported the lowest awareness at just 5%. Malay and Chinese showed nearly equal levels of awareness.
A distinct disparity emerged among the types of occupations. Professionals, Managers, Executives and Businessmen (PMEBs) displayed significantly higher awareness at 68% compared to 32% among non-PMEBs. This difference may be drawn from the nature of their roles, in which PMEBs often have greater exposure to international events and engagement with global sports.
Now if you’re among those watching Paris 2024, you might wonder why many Malaysians are unaware of the games. While traditional television may be less relevant globally now, it actually still remains a top pick for live sports in our country, as evidenced in the Euro 2024 study. Not to mention, social media news continues to reach new peaks as well. We would say the definitive answer remains elusive, but possible reasons could be Malaysians shifting attention following the recent excitement of Euro 2024 or time-zone differences.
Which Sports Are Malaysians Looking Forward To?
It came as no surprise that the sport Malaysians are most looking forward to is badminton, leading with 26%. Football followed as the second at 17%. Rounding out the top five were hockey, volleyball, and boxing, respectively.
Commonly known, badminton holds deep cultural roots in Malaysia. It is a popular social game among friends and families, whether played hands-on on the court or enjoyed on TV during gatherings. Its popularity owes much to our iconic Malaysian badminton talent- Datuk Lee Chong Wei who had ranked 349 weeks as the No.1 single badminton player in the world. His dedication and spirit have inspired many youths. In this Olympic edition, Malaysia will field 8 athletes in badminton including rising star Lee Zi Jia. With our current position of 8 silver and 5 bronze medals, it is a shared hope that we will secure our first gold, particularly in this nationwide beloved sport.
How Do Malaysians Intend to Keep Up-To-Date With the Game?
As mentioned earlier, this section further supported our findings on Euro 2024, where the 3 main preferred media channels revolved around mainstream news media, social media sites, and free-to-air TV. Statistically, they are standing at 38%, 34%, and 31% respectively.
This further highlights the enduring relevance of traditional media among Malaysian audiences in various regions and age groups. We believe that this may be due to cultural and regional preferences influencing media consumption patterns. As traditional media often caters better to specific linguistic groups, thus maintaining their relevance through locally targeted programming. Another reason could be the online streaming options made available that allow viewers to watch the same channel on their phones.
Sponsorship Awareness vs. Intention to Purchase Sponsorship Product
Overall, there was a high 79% sponsorship awareness among those who are aware of the game. Deriving from that, a good 75% showed intention of purchasing the products. That is quite an impressive number. Here’s why:
Consider the top known sponsored category: non-alcoholic beverages. This category includes a variety of drinks, such as universally recognised carbonated or energy drinks. They are considered daily essentials for some, and their prominent presence during the games can have a strong influence on viewers’ choices from vending machines to grocery stores.
Meanwhile, demands play a role in bigger purchases such as electronics. But, if Olympic athletes endorse such items, it not only boosts brand awareness but also enhances the appeal of specific product models. They are henceforth increasing the intention of purchasing.
In conclusion, although initial awareness of Paris 2024 may be modest, viewership during the games could potentially increase as game highlights and topics circulate on media news and social media platforms. Ultimately, the aim is to build a healthy community for generations to come. So, if you’re reading this article, consider choosing a sports category that you enjoy and immerse yourself in it during Paris 2024.
If you would like to take a deeper dive into the numbers and marketing opportunities surrounding Paris 2024, feel free to contact us at theteam@oppotus.com
