Paris 2024 Olympic Games Case Study

Context and Objectives

Team Zambia entered Paris 2024 with ambitious goals on and off the field: improve athlete exposure, grow digital audiences, and secure high-quality international coverage that reflected the country's sporting progress. My mandate as Press Attaché was to design and execute a media strategy that aligned with these goals while complying with IOC and Paris 2024 communications guidelines.

Key Objectives

Strengthen relationships with local and international media to secure consistent, credible coverage
Build an engaging, real-time social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
Support athletes and officials to communicate confidently through media training and on-site guidance
Ensure Team Zambia content could be repurposed post-Games for legacy storytelling and future campaigns

Strategy and Approach

My approach combined structured media operations with agile digital storytelling:

Media liaison and positioning – Managed communications with 12 local and 8 international media outlets, coordinating interviews, mixed-zone activities, and press briefings to keep Team Zambia consistently in the news cycle
Integrated content engine – Oversaw a daily content pipeline spanning photography, video, and copy for Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, with formats tailored to each platform's audience behavior
Data-driven optimization – Conducted daily analysis of social media engagement and content performance, using insights to refine posting times, formats, and story angles in real time
Athlete-centric communication – Provided media training and on-site coaching to athletes and officials, ensuring they could deliver clear key messages and manage high-pressure interview environments
Collaboration with Olympic stakeholders – Worked closely with the IOC, Olympic Broadcasting Services, the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), who also supported with content production initiatives through the Digital Accelerator Programme, to align Team Zambia's content with wider Games narratives and broadcast opportunities

Execution Highlights

1. Media Operations and Coverage

Managed all media interactions for Team Zambia, including 8 pre-competition interviews, 2 post-event press conferences, and 11 mixed-zone engagements
Coordinated with venue press managers to ensure smooth operations and timely access for journalists, despite accreditation and positioning constraints
Cultivated relationships with journalists and influencers from 25 media institutions, resulting in two exclusive feature stories on Team Zambia athletes
Supported coverage that contributed to a 90% increase in media visibility compared to the previous Olympic Games

2. High-Impact Content Production

Led photography efforts for all competitions involving Team Zambia, capturing over 1,020 images and rapidly distributing them to media outlets and digital channels
Produced and curated more than 36 short-form videos in line with IOC social media guidelines, while archiving additional competition footage for future storytelling
Delivered a steady stream of behind-the-scenes content, competition updates, and human-interest stories that showcased both performance and personality

3. Social Media Growth and Engagement

Published approximately 300 Facebook posts, 250 Instagram posts, and 100 TikTok videos during the Games period
Achieved a combined 8.3 million+ impressions across platforms, significantly expanding audience reach
Supported follower growth of 26,492 new followers across all platforms (23,300 on Facebook, 1,991 on Instagram, 1,201 on TikTok)
Drove 1 million video views on Facebook, more than 69,000 video views on Instagram, and 188,105 video views on TikTok

4. Broadcast and International Exposure

Facilitated 81 print articles, with 74 in Zambian newspapers and 7 in international outlets such as The New York Times, Times of India, and Hindustan Times
Supported Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) journalist on the ground, contributing to 12 TV news packages and multiple live interviews
Worked with Olympic Broadcasting Services and Paris 2024 Organizing Committee on a feature documentary on Team Zambia's swimming team

International Media Coverage

Team Zambia's performances attracted coverage from major international publications:

Publication	Date	Article
New York Times	24 Jul 2024	Zambia vs USWNT - Rachael Kundananji
New York Times	25 Jul 2024	Zambia USWNT Olympics Coverage
New York Times	01 Aug 2024	Women's Soccer Coverage
Times of India	30 Jul 2024	Patrick Chinyemba Boxing Victory
Hindustan Times	30 Jul 2024	Chinyemba Defeats Amit Panghal
Hindustan Times	30 Jul 2024	Barbra Banda's Third Olympic Hat-trick

Zambian Print Media Coverage

Examples of coverage in Zambia's leading newspapers:

Zambia Daily Mail

"All hail Muzala" - Coverage of Muzala Samukonga's historic Olympic medal

Times of Zambia

"Medal motivates relay team" - Impact of Olympic success on the 4x400m relay squad

5. Media Training and Athlete Support

Delivered three structured media training sessions for athletes and officials, covering interview techniques, key messaging, and social media best practice
Provided one-to-one support in mixed zones and press conferences, helping athletes navigate emotionally charged moments
Ensured alignment between athletes' public statements, Team Zambia's broader communication objectives, and the NOC's brand positioning

Outcomes and Impact

The Paris 2024 campaign substantially enhanced Team Zambia's reputation and visibility on the global sports stage. Media coverage increased by approximately 90%, digital engagement grew by 80%, and the team's online audience expanded by 45% relative to the previous Olympic Games.

Key Results

Sustained coverage in leading local and international outlets, positioning Zambian athletes within high-profile Olympic narratives
Strong social media momentum, with multi-million impressions and significant follower growth for future campaigns, sponsorships, and athlete branding
Strengthened relationships with journalists, broadcasters, and Olympic institutions, laying the groundwork for improved coverage at future Games
A robust library of photos and video content that will support legacy storytelling, fundraising, and national sports promotion

Lessons Learned and Forward Recommendations

The Paris 2024 experience highlighted the value of strategic, data-driven communications in amplifying the impact of a relatively small delegation on a global stage. To build on this foundation, I recommended:

Encouraging more Zambian mainstream media houses to seek accreditation for future Games, expanding independent coverage
Increasing pre-Games media engagement and storytelling to build familiarity with athletes and generate momentum before competition
Expanding the digital team to provide more real-time coverage during peak sessions, including live social formats and multilingual content
Strengthening partnerships with African continental media to deepen regional visibility and solidarity narratives
Implementing a more advanced media monitoring and issues-management system to enable rapid response to emerging stories

Paris 2024 Gallery