16 January 2009 | Author: O. Gaywood Media Optimiser

London Olympics announce social media strategy

The 2012 London Olympics are to be preceded by a social network programme with sponsored mass-participation activities and events, according to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

LOCOG want to encourage the younger generations to get involved in the games and think an online campaign will target the right people. They are currently in talks with the official sponsors of London 2012 - including the likes of British Airways and BT - to get involved.

The project will have its own online presence - with links from the official 2012 site - and will be active across the major social networks and social media sites.

Adidas will be the first sponsor to launch a project - with an initial start date in spring proposed - when they release an online sports activation project aimed at encouraging 12-18 year-olds to participate in sport. This initiative will work alongside the sportswear company's current adiZones campaign - five outdoor gyms in London that are free to use, with Adidas Activators visiting schools and communities to encourage people to use the facilities - which is part of their £100m sponsorship deal with the 2012 games.

According to news site New Media Age, Alex Balfour, head of new media at LOCOG, said: "We're working with some of our sponsors, specifically Adidas, on a series of social mass-participation activities and are building a programme around sports participation.

"The main driver for it will be around social values. It will be focused less on the people who are already active in sport or aspire to be lead sports people and more on those who have some interest but don't see the social rewards in it."