Overview
The Olympic Games have evolved from traditional broadcasts to a multi-week digital marathon. The 2026 Winter Games held in Milano Cortina are projected to be the most “streamed” and “digitally engaged” in history, following the momentum of Beijing 2022, which reached over 2 billion people.1 With 54% of US adults identifying as active fans, brands have a prime opportunity to use GroundTruth’s location-based, omnichannel strategies to convert global enthusiasm into measurable real-world results.2
The When: Event Fast Facts
- Host Cities: Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
- Dates: February 6 - February 22, 2026 (17 days of live content)
- Broadcasters: NBC leads broadcasting, while Peacock will stream 116 medal events live, providing massive digital and CTV inventory
- Scale: 2.9k+ Athletes representing 100+ nations
The Where: Retail Intent
Using first-party data, GroundTruth maps real-world behavior to target the overlap between Olympic viewers and their specific retail interests:
- Fitness & Performance: Fitness Centers, Sporting Goods Shoppers, and Footwear Shoppers
- Social & Entertainment: Stadium & Arena Visitors, Wine & Spirit Shoppers, Bar Visitors, and Museum Visitors
- Home & Lifestyle: DIY Enthusiasts, Big-Box Store Shoppers, Grocery & Supermarket Shoppers
The Who: The Olympic Fan
The Olympic fan represents a profile in premium engagement, defined by high affluence and a strong intent to spend:
- The Biggest Buyers: U.S. fans drive Olympic commerce, accounting for 35% of all ticket spending made with Visa - the largest share of any nation.4
- Affluent & Ready to Spend: Viewers have a household income 20% higher than the national average.2
- Economic Powerhouses: This segment accounts for over 25% of total annual U.S. luxury spend in categories like fine dining, premium watches, and vacations.2
- Demographic Skew: The audience planning to watch is 52% male and skews toward the Boomer generation.2
Strategic Tactics & Channel Approach
Recommended Solutions
| Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Omnichannel Digital Sync | With 27% of fans streaming the Games and digital viewers making up 34% of the live sports population, mixing CTV and Mobile ensures you reach the viewer across every screen.1 |
| “Watch Party” Conquesting | Fans spend more when they gather as evident in 83% of viewers increase spend on food and drinks , driving a 67% surge in restaurant spend.4 Intercept them via On-Premise Targeting at grocery stores and bars. |
| Athletic “Halo Effect” | Inspiration leads to action with 29% of fans intend to buy new gear and 35% need home equipment upgrades. Geofence local ski centers and sporting goods stores to capture this peak intent.6 |
| Interest-Based Targeting | Viewers prioritize events like Figure Skating (59%) and Snowboarding (45%), so align your creative and messaging with these high-resonance sports to increase relevance and engagement |
| Luxury & Affluence Focus | Target the high-spending core at premium locations like resorts and airport lounges, reaching an audience responsible for over a quarter of U.S. luxury spend. |
Interested in learning more?
Reach out to your GroundTruth representative or selfservehelp@groundtruth.com.
Sources: 1Olympics, 2MRI Simmons, 3eMarketer, 4Visa, 5TigorPistol, 6CivicScience
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