Paris 2024: Redefining Experiential - A Fusion of Humanity, Innovation and Legacy
Image source: Bo Zhang via Unsplash
The Paris Olympics 2024 concluded with a star-studded closing ceremony. The 33rd Games showcased a deluge of incredible sports performances and inspiring athletes. These Games felt distinct, with the city, people, and brands embracing spontaneity and unpredictability. We could call these Games experiential, but they go further; they infuse experiential with humanity. I spent two weeks on the ground activating multiple experiences for Technics, Ali Express and India House. Here are my top three takeaways:
1. Location, location, location. Paris merged seamlessly with the Games. In an incredible tour de force, the organisers not only brought the Games to Paris but wove them into the fabric of the city and its people. Placing the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop to competitions was a bold move, giving the Grand Palais and its formidable architecture to fencing, and surrounding the Obelisk of La Concorde with arenas dedicated to urban sports. The Seine, winding through Paris, became the backbone of the Games, linking all the sites together and offering a unique frame for the Opening Ceremony. This integration of modern Olympic games such as BMX and Skateboarding with historical landmarks like the grand Fontaines was a risky and a technically challenging bet, but it paid off. Paris also developed equipment and housing for the games that not only set a new standard for sustainable and ethical architecture but was also designed for extensive future use, contrasting with previous events where facilities were underutilised or discarded afterwards.
2. Bring people together by breaking down barriers in inclusivity and accessibility. These Games were designed to be inclusive, open, and accessible - a tall order in a city known for its inaccessibility (try moving a stroller in the Metro). Thousands of locals and tourists gathered nightly at the Louvre, celebrating together as they watched the Olympic flame. People explored the car-free streets of Paris, moving from one place to another. At La Villette, where many countries have installed their pavilions, broken elevators that prevented movement across the river were compensated for by creating floating bridges dedicated to wheelchairs and people with reduced mobility.
With people comes security. The Games are a massive showcase of police presence, using new tools and infusing AI to keep everyone safe. This year, it wasn’t just about security but also reshaping the image of the police, fostering reconciliation with the public. Even the police in Paris are an experience.
We can’t talk about people without mentioning the Opening Ceremony, one of the boldest and most impressive grand pieces of theatre orchestrated by Thomas Jolly. Good theatre provokes, debates, and courts controversy, and this ceremony sparked it all, making it not only extraordinary but inclusive by featuring diverse audiences, including athletes with disabilities who will compete in the Paralympics
3. Brand experience is entering a new era. From the Champs Elysées to La Concorde and La Villette, pavilions are everywhere representing countries and brands. A few common themes emerged: sustainability, accessibility and diversity. In Paris, there is a new dimension to consider, made clear early on by the organisers: sustainability and accessibility are key drivers, with precise and actionable guidelines and practical advice. From the use of colours for vision-impaired people to the banning of swag, these guidelines pushed brands and countries to innovate, creating not just memorable experiences but lasting legacies. Some pavilions took this even further by involving local artists and student architects to rethink their spaces and engagement strategies. All of it represents how brand experience is being redefined and it represents an enormous opportunity.
The organising committee, led by its director Tony Estanguet, set out to create a new 'template' for the Games. They set the bar high by bringing something new and creating a framework that allows the experience to feel fresh, open and responsible. Tony wanted to take it out of the stadiums and bring it to the people, allowing everyone to experience it. And he went further: experiences, no matter how impactful, are not enough if they don’t consider legacy, impact, and diversity. Paris enabled this alchemy to happen by adding a certain je-ne-sais-quoi, a French touch that merged sport, celebration, people, and values into a big melting pot. Respectful and human after all.
