American rapper and actor Snoop Dogg (Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.) attends during the B-Girls … [+]
The marketing ROI of the 2024 Paris Olympics belonged to one man: Snoop Dogg, the cultural powerhouse who transformed these Games into a marketing case study for the ages. As NBC’s Special Correspondent, Snoop overshadowed even the most dedicated athletes and corporate giants like LVMH, whose image-focused sponsorship saw no medal-worthy returns, given LVMH’s recent earnings report.
And while Antoine Arnault of LVMH may insist that “financial benefits have never been a goal of this partnership,” NBC’s high-impact move with Snoop set the standard. We’ll soon return to my favorite obsession, Bernard Arnault, but let’s continue with looking at who gained the most marketing capital from the 2024 Paris Olympics Game.
For CMOs, NBC’s “Snoop strategy” provides a new playbook for driving brand visibility. As we conclude our Marketing Winners of the 2024 Paris Olympics series, let’s look at how NBC faired, with the help of blazing star power.
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 09: Snoop Dogg performs the Coup de Baton ceremony prior to the Breaking … [+]
Le Coup de Brigadier: How NBC Tapped into Snoop Dogg’s Cultural Power
Snoop Dogg’s role as NBC’s special correspondent delivered an extraordinary ROI for the network. While NBC stacked its coverage with big names—Dolly Parton, Kelly Clarkson, Kevin Hart, Peyton Manning—Snoop’s authenticity commanded the spotlight.
In a pre-Olympics press conference, Snoop explained his “prep” for prime time with his usual charm: “My preparation for prime time is being me. Google me. Look me up, dog. I’ve done fighting a bit. I’ve done sporting events. This is what I do. I’ve been doing this since y’all have been goldfish. What they’re going to find out is I know the sport, I know the angle, I know the conversations. Tune in so you can be a part of it.”
And by all accounts, the world took him up on that suggestion. NBC’s average viewership surged to 34 million per day in the first week alone, a 79% boost over Tokyo’s numbers.
The draw? Snoop’s Paris escapades: from testing his “lung power” with Michael Phelps to dubbing the Mona Lisa his “twin.” And let’s not forget his ceremonial use of the brigadier to mark the opening of the Olympic breakdancing competition. Adopting his French environment while still dressed in all American red, white and blue, Snoop walked on stage with the ceremonial mallet, tapping it three times on the stage floor before launching into his iconic track, “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” Social media caught fire, with “Olympic breakdancing” becoming Google’s top trend that day.
03 August 2024, France, Versailles: Olympics, Paris 2024, equestrian sport, dressage, team, final, … [+]
Even his day with “homegirl” Martha Stewart at the Château de Versailles went viral, as they rode in a golf cart, dressed in matching black jacket, crisp white riding pants and an equestrian helmet, clinking champagne flutes, and swapping jokes. The #SnoopandMartha hashtag trended across all platforms, and their clips amassed over a million views. The dynamic duo’s day together became one of the most talked about moments of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
When Is A Goat Just A G.O.A.T.?
Tell me if you’ve heard this one: a Dogg and a G.O.A.T. attend the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and crash a website on the other side of the world.
That’s what happened when Los Angeles-based urban jewelry brand King Ice designed an Ajna Goat pendant for Snoop that set off a Christian right outrage. The ancient Satanic goat deity Baphomet was confused with the modern-day symbolism for the Greatest Of All Time — and next thing you know, King Ice made its financial projections for the year.
For the record, the G.O.A.T. acronym has long been used to describe figures like Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Serena Williams and LeBron James. Simone Biles has also joined this list, in name as well as in owning a corresponding pendant. This association dates back even further, however, to the original G.O.A.T himself, Muhammad Ali. His wife, Lonnie Ali, coined the term in the 1990s, eventually incorporating it into a company called G.O.A.T. Inc., holding trademarks connected to Ali’s name and likeness.
The Marketing ROI of Controversy
To be fair, this was only the second Christian right outrage at the 2024 Paris Olympics and far tamer than the first one, where a visually stunning performance featuring artists dressed as ancient Greek gods in the Opening Ceremonies was mistaken as some sort of public display of pagan worship. In reality, the performance was meant to honor Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics, by depicting the gods of Mount Olympus—Zeus, Athena, Apollo, and others—guiding athletes and spectators into the Games.
Greek actor playing the role of the High Priestess Mary Mina (2R) stands in front of the Olympic … [+]
What’s the marketing lesson in all of this? Well, far be it for me to advocate upsetting the Christian right. But if you do, make sure it’s because of a simple, easily explained misunderstanding.
Snoop was forced to speak up after the social media outrage reached a crescendo, and in doing so, brought even more attention to King Ice. As a PR professional, it would be malpractice if I didn’t point out there’s no such thing as bad publicity, which is clearly the point here. Particularly since no one talks about the other pendant King Ice made for Snoop.
NBCUNIVERSAL UPFRONT EVENTS — 2024 NBCUniversal Upfront from Radio City Music Hall in New York City … [+]
Winning Gold: NBC and Snoop’s Financial and Social Triumph at Paris 2024
So, who won the Paris 2024 Olympics? While athletes broke records, Snoop Dogg was the MVP of our Marketing Olympics, and for that, we award him – and NBC — Gold. Financially, Snoop’s participation is rumored to have been $500,000 daily, a potential $9 million investment for NBC that absolutely delivered. His Olympic presence added more gains to his personal brand. His U.S. streaming numbers skyrocketed up 5.7% and global track sales surged by 52.6%, according to Royalty Exchange, a platform to invest in and earn revenues from music catalogs. Globally, his streams rose 9.1%, and his Instagram follower count exploded with 140k new followers daily, dwarfing his usual 25k.
US rapper Snoop Dogg gestures as he holds the torch as part of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Torch … [+]
In the end, while many brands made their marketing stance during the Paris 2024 Olympics, Snoop Dogg stands as the undisputed Winner of our Marketing Olympics. His presence captured the essence of modern marketing, directly appealing to younger millennials and Gen Z by blending humor, style, and cultural insight—all while staying true to his unmistakable brand.
With Snoop Dogg as their secret weapon, NBC transformed Olympic coverage into a must-watch event for a broader and more diverse audience, expanding interest beyond traditional sports fans. By integrating pop culture so seamlessly into their programming, NBC set a benchmark for how strategic celebrity alignment can amplify an event’s reach and resonance across demographics.
