Olympic and Paralympic Games

Surrey County Council

Background

Leading up to the London Olympic Games, Surrey was set to host the Olympic Cycling Road Races and Time Trials. As a result, the council encountered the task of effectively addressing potential inconveniences amid a backdrop of public skepticism.

Despite these challenges, there were opportunities to stimulate the local economy by inviting foreign Olympic and Paralympic teams to train in the county and contribute to the local economy. Additionally, there was a focus on encouraging Surrey businesses to secure games-related contracts with LOCOG.

The primary objectives encompassed addressing these challenges while also igniting public excitement for the games.

Results

The successful hosting of the Olympic Cycle Road Races
Only 11 calls to the contact centre during the events thanks to clear and effective communication
The highest number of local business signed to London 2012 contracts
The highest number of foreign Olympic and Paralympic teams training in any one county
Word Record for Largest Human Olympic Rings
Word Record for Largest Human London 2012 Logo
500,000 weekly visits to the microsite and over 2,500 subscirbers to the newsletter

Creative approach

I set up a specialized Olympic microsite to centralise crucial details about the road races, business prospects, pre-games training camps, and opportunities for volunteering.

Building of hype

To boost engagement, I planned and coordinated a series of impactful content releases centered around major announcements and press conferences.

These were enhanced with compelling guest blogs, exclusive interviews with local Team GB athletes, and captivating videos. Plus, attention-grabbing publicity stunts were orchestrated, such as achieving the Guinness World Records for the Largest Human Olympic Rings, Largest Human Olympic Logo, arranging for Seb Coe to meet with local school children, Hollywood style Olympic Rings on Box Hill and curating an exhibition showcasing Surrey's rich sporting heritage.

Olympic Cycling Road Races

I lead on the creation of custom event maps that included comprehensive information on road crossings, restroom locations, and frequently asked questions. These maps were distributed to all 1 million residents and dispensed by dedicated volunteers.

Pre-games training camps

I crafted customised and impactful invitations for foreign Olympic teams, inviting them to experience Surrey's top-notch sports facilities. Each invitation was tailored to showcase how their athletic strengths align with Surrey's venues.

I targeted global regions with the goal of sparking interest from each nation's neighboring countries, starting with the Caribbean and then expanding to the far east. To make the visits unforgettable, I leveraged the influence of esteemed Team GB medallists to champion the venues. Additionally, I ensured the involvement of Councillors and press colleagues to elevate the event's prestige.

BBC - Olympic teams to begin training in Surrey
BBC - Jeremy Hunt praises Surrey for Olympic camp attraction
The Telegraph - British Cycling picks Surrey for Games training base

Business conferences

Employing the same successful approach as highlighted above, I proactively invited businesses to attend seminars aimed at promoting the advantages of becoming suppliers to Olympic venues. Our seminars featured compelling talks from business experts, LOCOG representatives, and Team GB athletes, all designed to inspire and motivate attendees. I mapped out user journeys to ensure that we effectively followed up with attendees, confidently guiding them based on their psychological stages of sign-up intentions.

BBC - Surrey firms win Olympic and Paralympic deals
Surrey Live - Olympics opportunities for Surrey businesses

Feedback

"I worked with Martyn on the London 2012 campaign and was impressed with how he flourished in such a high profile project! It was a joy to have him on board and I recommend him for any communications project."

Denise Saliagopoulos
Elected Councillor