The document discusses how people will consume content from the 2012 London Olympics across various screens and platforms. It finds that while TV will remain the dominant viewing platform, online consumption of Olympic content and events will be widespread. Approximately 50% of people plan to watch live events online, while 70% of Chinese and Russian users intend to watch Olympics content on PCs compared to just 35% of Americans and 16% of Britons. A total of 5 billion people are expected to tune into the Olympics across TV, computers and mobile devices.

1. LONDON OLYMPICS
THE MULTI-SCREEN GAMES
This year, citizens of the world will gather in front of television sets, smartphones, tablet devices, and
computers to watch the action of the Olympic Games unfold in London. However, our research report "Meet
the Screens" taught us that not all screens are created equal. Using insights from this report as a lens, BBDO
and Proximity investigated how different countries are expected to consume Olympic Games content.
ONLINE
HOW PEOPLE WILL USE THE INTERNET AROUND THE OLYMPICS
50%
WATCH LIVE EVENTS
46%
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS
36%
FOLLOW SCORES/READ RECAPS
33%
LOOK UP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
22%
FOLLOW OPENING/CLOSING CEREMONIES
19%
READ ATHLETES’ HUMAN INTEREST STORIES
15%
POST OR READ ABOUT EVENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
13%
READ ABOUT LONDON’S PREPARATIONS
HOW PEOPLE PLAN TO FOLLOW
THE OLYMPICS ONLINE
WATCH
VIA PC
WATCH
ON MOBILE
DEVICES
70%
READ
VIA PC
READ
ON MOBILE
DEVICES
55%
35% 36%
35% 36%
33%
10%
CHINA
16% 23%
RUSSIA
9% 11%
7% 9%
AMERICA
PC
3% 3%
UNITED KINGDOM
MOBILE
The first Olympic Games to
have a dedicated web page
(with news, results, ticket
sales, photos) was the
A PROJECTED
1 BILLION PEOPLE
RESULTS:
10.06
10.09
11.09
‘96
1996 GAMES IN
ATLANTA.
will view events, get updates, and
check results on digital devices
(PCs, mobile phones, tablets).
More smartphone devices will be
tuned into London 2012 coverage
THAN EVER BEFORE.
PERCENTAGE OF MOBILE PHONE
USERS OWNING SMARTPHONES
The first Olympic
Games to stream
on-demand content
to PCs was the
‘08
2010 WINTER OLYMPICS
9.7%
2008 GAMES
IN BEIJING.
2012 SUMMER OLYMPICS
24%
TELEVISION
The 2012 London Olympic Games will air in 204 countries around the world.
‘64
The global TV audience
is expected to reach
TV will remain the dominant
viewing media for the
The first Olympics to be
aired (to 40 countries) on
live television was the
5 BILLION.
2012 SUMMER
OLYMPICS.
1964 GAMES
IN TOKYO.
SUMMER OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONIES TV VIEWERSHIP
UNITED STATES
36 MILLION
GREAT BRITAIN
5.9 MILLION
UNITED STATES
40.7 MILLION
BEIJING 2008
GREAT BRITAIN
26.9 MILLION
LONDON 2012
NETWORK OFFERINGS
5,600+
CONTENT HOURS
3,500+
CONTENT HOURS
2,500
CONTENT HOURS
2,200
CONTENT HOURS
OLYMPIC BROADCAST
SERVICES (OBS)
NBC UNIVERSAL
BBC
INTERNATIONAL
OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
SOURCES:
SOURCES:
SOURCES:
SOURCES:
• All-over HD coverage
• 302 medal events
• 24 simultaneous streams
on cable and satellite
• HD coverage on You
Tube Channel for Asia
and Sub-Saharan Africa
• All 32 sports and every
competition
• 24 simultaneous streams
on Facebook
• 24-hour broadcast of
Olympics news
SOURCES
Perform, Interclick/KN Dimestore, eMarketer, CSI Magazine, Advertising Age, NBC, BBC, IOC YouTube Channel