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NBCUniversal breaks records with Paris Olympics ad sales and viewership

NBCUniversal breaks records with Paris Olympics ad sales and viewership

NBCUniversal just raised the bar dramatically for Olympic advertising revenue. The media giant said it has delivered the highest Olympic and Paralympic advertising revenue in history, surpassing the $1.25 billion mark previously set by the Tokyo Olympics.

A surge in new advertisers

NBCUniversal attributed its unprecedented ad revenue to a surge in new advertisers. Over 70% of the brands participating in the Paris Games are first-time Olympic sponsors, injecting nearly half a billion dollars into the overall ad pot, said the media giant in a LinkedIn post.

In addition to attracting new advertisers, NBCUniversal has also experienced exponential growth in digital ad revenue. This year’s digital ad sales have more than doubled those of the Tokyo Games, highlighting the increasing importance of digital platforms in the Olympic advertising landscape.

“The 2024 Paris Games have delivered a uniquely powerful halo for brands at an incredible scale with a highly engaged and passionate audience. We are proud to have secured the highest Olympic and Paralympic advertising in the history of the Games, and are grateful to our advertisers for their partnership,” said Mark Marshall, Chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships, at NBCUniversal, in a statement. “Together, we have innovated the advertising experience with authentic and inspirational creative that is leaving a lasting impact on consumers.”

Impressive viewership numbers

The Paris Olympics have also garnered impressive viewership numbers. The network’s coverage of the opening Monday of the Games captivated a massive audience of 31.3 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and its digital platforms, according to official data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. This represents a 70% increase compared to the same day during the Tokyo Olympics.

The momentum has been building since the Opening Ceremony, with the first four days of competition averaging a combined 33.8 million viewers, marking a 77% surge over the corresponding period in Tokyo.

Beyond the overall viewership, specific highlights include the U.S. women’s basketball team’s dominant performance in their opening game, which drew an average of 3.0 million viewers on USA Network and Peacock. This figure surpasses all men’s and women’s basketball games from the Tokyo Olympics, excluding the gold medal contests.

Peacock hits a streaming milestone

Peacock’s Paris Olympics usage through Monday’s competition surpassed the combined total of the full Beijing and Tokyo Olympics, with Paris streaming minutes up 25% over those previous Games combined, demonstrating the platform’s increasing popularity among viewers. Monday’s coverage was streamed by 4.5 million viewers on Peacock and NBCU Digital platforms.

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