IPC Media and Marketing Summit takes place in Paris

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) hosted its fourth Media and Marketing Summit in Paris, France on Tuesday 18 July, bringing together Para sport and social inclusion experts from around the globe. The focus of the day was on how stakeholders can ensure that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are the most successful yet.

The event was attended by 210 people in person and over 140 online. There were representatives from the IPC, International Olympic Committee (IOC), Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS), National Paralympic Committees (NPCs), International Federations, commercial partners, media rights holders, social media channels, government and non-governmental organisations. 

Moderated by British Paralympian Stef Reid and the IPC’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer Craig Spence, a range of topics were covered through a mixture of panel sessions and presentations.

Paris 2024 at the centre

Following an opening address from IPC President Andrew Parsons, the Summit started off on high, as it showcased the outstanding work that three IPC members - Paralympics Australia, the Belgium Paralympic Committee, and NPC Denmark - implemented over the last two years to engage the public and media in Paralympic sport and its athletes. 

The media landscape and how to maximise broadcast and press coverage was explored in depth. There was an update from the IPC and OBS on media rights sales to date and the production plan for the Games, while there was roundtable discussion with OBS, Channel 4, and European media rights holder Infront on how IPC members, and commercial partners can work together to create the best broadcast opportunities before, during and after Paris 2024. 

Journalists from NBC and Associated Press discussed how IPC members could best maximise media coverage ahead of, during and after the Games.

A large section of the afternoon was dedicated to what the future may hold. Representatives from the Olympic Channel and Nielsen analysed the major trends that have emerged from the last two Games and what we can expect to see ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

There was a fascinating session with leading online technology and social network providers TikTok, Google. Snap, and Meta, who discussed the digital trends that could be coming our way for the Games.

Updates were also provided by four TOP Partners – Allianz, Visa, Toyota, and Airbnb – on their plans for Paris 2024; the IPC on its content strategy, covering activities before, during and after the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games; and the Paris 2024 Organising Committee on their communications and ticketing plans for the Paralympic Games. 

Paris 2024 Games legacy

Games legacy was a central theme of the day, and the Summit heard from three French Paralympians - Ludivine Munos, Arnaud Assoumani, and Angelina Lanza – on the impact they believe the Paralympic Games will have on Para sport engagement in the host nation. 

There was a keynote session on how the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be a game-changer event to drive inclusion for France’s 12 million persons with disabilities. Delegates heard from Pierre Rabadan, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of Sport, Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Marie-Amelie Le Fur, President of Comité Paralympique et Sportif Français (CPSF), the French National Paralympic Committee.

The Summit was brought to a close by Geneviève Darrieussecq, French Minister for Persons with Disabilities, who claimed that the Paralympic Games will be a “catalyst for progress” and support the plans her Government has to create a more inclusive society in France’s for persons with disabilities.

Biggest and most successful Summit

Craig Spence, the IPC’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer, said, “Our fourth IPC Media and Marketing Summit was by some distance our biggest and most successful yet, bringing together an excellent group of hugely respected international speakers.

“With 15 months to go the Games it is clear that our stakeholders are putting a lot of thought and effort into Paris 2024 and how it can drive social inclusion through Para sport across the world. It was fantastic to gather over 350 people from across the Paralympic Movement and share their enthusiasm for making Paris 2024 the best possible Paralympic Games ever.  

“The day was full of great ideas from leaders in civil society, our membership, our commercial partners and broadcast rights holders, and media organisations. I loved that everyone got the opportunity to show how the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be transformational for athletes, the City of Paris, France’s 12 million persons with disabilities, and the global disability community.”

On Wednesday 20 July, after the IPC Media and Marketing Summit, the IPC held a Partners Workshop that brought together all the Worldwide Paralympic Partners. The workshop looked ahead to joint activations and campaigns that will be implemented around the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.