Need help designing branded memes? Get KIMP!

Meme Marketing: 5 of the Best Olympics Memes and Why They Matter

The Olympic fever has caught on. People around the world are talking about the spectacular performance of the athletes and the medals they are taking home. An event so phenomenal, the social media crowd cannot keep it quiet indeed. Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok are all flooding with Olympic discussions. And most importantly, Olympics memes. 

If you are active on social media, we’re sure you’ve come across several Olympics memes so far. Or at least heard your peers talking about or sharing content about the “Pommel horse guy” or even the Turkish shooter who went viral for his cool demeanor. 

With all the buzz it’s only natural for brands and marketers to want to jump on the trend. If that is you, then you are in the right place. Today we’re discussing the topic of Olympics memes, particularly based on the popular ones from the Paris Olympics 2024. But first, let’s understand the connection between social media and the Olympic games. 

Why Should Brands Take Olympic Meme Trends Seriously?

Gold medals and likes: a perfect match don’t you think? In recent years, social media has become a crucial channel for sports-related discussions. Several major media companies use social media as a channel to cover big sports events. From live streaming to real-time event updates, they leverage social media in many ways to connect with fans around the world. 

Naturally, for a sports event as massive as the Olympics, the social media chatter has been pretty loud. 

A crucial topic of discussion on X 

According to X, the opening week of the Paris 2024 Olympics has seen a tremendous boost in the event-related discussions on the platform. Based on their post here, the Paris 2024 Olympics garnered about 40 billion impressions, 4.5 billion video views, and 100 million posts within the first week. 

Clearly, this is a viral trend on social media right now. So, yes, talking about the game itself and sharing some Olympics memes is a great way to join the conversation. In fact, this is applicable to most sports-related conversations and those that involve massive fandom. YouTube recently shared a post highlighting how tapping into fan culture can be beneficial to brands. 

Memes and social media make a great pair 

Data shows that nearly 60% of social media users around the world share memes. Naturally, memes have about 10 times better reach than most other content types. Therefore, if you wish to tap into social media to boost your brand’s reach and to build a strong social media presence, then memes are worth investing in. 

In addition to all these benefits, data from Statista shows that among all the content types that a brand can share on social media, memes are some of the most effective in building positive brand perception. The chart below shows the social media activities that lead to positive brand perception according to Gen Z consumers in the US. 

Source 
Even the official page of the Olympic Games has memes 

Olympics memes can be a great way to engage with your audience. You do not have to take our word for it. Take it from the official X page of the Olympic Games. 

The official Olympic Games social media page occasionally shares memes as part of its strategy to engage audiences. This showcases the power of meme marketing. It exemplifies the effectiveness of memes in engaging with diverse audience demographics and cutting through geographic and cultural barriers. 

But yes, keep them light-hearted and easy to understand, like the one here shared on the official Olympic Games page. 

Having established the importance of meme marketing during such global events, let’s now look at some of the trending Olympics memes from the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

5 Top Olympics Memes 2024 

Bob the Cap Catcher 

One of the very first stars to go viral during the Paris 2024 Olympics was an unidentified lifeguard who came to be known as “Bob the Cap Catcher.”

He became an instant internet sensation for his sincere gesture of diving into the pool to retrieve a swimmer’s cap from the pool during a swimming competition. The Speedo-clad hero soon became viral. 

The unexpected nature of the event and the lifeguard’s dedication to his role, struck a chord with viewers. 

How can you leverage this meme? Focus on one authentic aspect of this video. Perhaps the lifeguard’s dedication to his job which is inspiring. You can probably use this to showcase your brand’s commitment to customers or a cause.

The Turkish Shooter 

Now this one’s probably one of the most popular Olympics memes. It features the Turkish shooter, Yusuf Dikec during the 10-meter air pistol event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. His calm demeanor, which included shooting with one hand in his pocket and wearing casual attire, contrasted sharply with the intense focus typically associated with the sport.  

Dikec also stood out by competing with regular prescription glasses and no specialized equipment. Several memes surfaced on the internet expressing admiration for his relaxed and unconventional approach, his “insane aura”. 

Yusuf Dikec’s attitude during the sport became so popular that Elon Musk and a host of other celebrities and media companies soon shared memes featuring him. 

The Swedish-American pole vaulter, Mondo Duplantis was also spotted striking the Yusuf Dikec after winning his gold. 

How can you leverage this meme? A meme highlighting Yusuf Dikec’s ability to remain calm in a highly stressful situation can be a good one to start a conversation. 

Pommel Horse Guy

Another athlete featured in trending Olympics memes this year is the American gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik who came to be affectionately known as the “Pommel Horse Guy.”.

He secured a bronze medal for the US team with his incredible performance on the pommel horse. This is also the team’s first gymnastics medal since 2008. He became a meme mainly because he was mostly seen sitting with his eyes closed until his moment came to perform. It was as if he was concealing his superpowers until the right moment, as if he put on his cape and saved the day the moment he saw the pommel horse. 

Stephen Nedoroscik’s laid-back demeanor before the event and his razor-sharp focus and agility at the pommel horse was what resonated with the audience. From comparing him to Clark Kent (aka Superman) to highlighting his myriad of “nerdy” interests like solving Rubik’s cubes and playing video games, there were plenty of Olympics memes featuring him. 

So much so, that the picture here with just the pair of eyeglasses was enough for fans to immediately recognize it was about Stephen Nedoroscik! 

The below graph from Google Trends shows how searches related to the “Pommel Horse Guy” reached a breakout in a short time. 

Source

How can you leverage this meme? Highlight Stephen Nedoroscik’s authenticity, his “everyman” charm, and finesse in his performance. 

Katie Ledecky’s Young Fan 

A video of American competitive swimmer, Katie Ledecky waving at a little girl in the crowd soon became the highlight of several Olympics memes. This was because of the adorable dramatic response of the young fan the moment she realized that her favorite athlete had just waved at her. The video shows her ecstatic expressions and the genuine love of this young fan. 

The little girl’s reaction perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the Olympics: inspiring the next generation. Besides, it also exemplifies how a lot of fans feel witnessing their favorite teams and athletes bagging medals. Hence the young fan can be seen in many Olympics memes. 

How can you leverage this meme? Use the little fan’s reaction to depict exciting moments for your brand. 

The Muffin Man 

Among the Olympics memes on TikTok perhaps one of the most popular is the one featuring  Norwegian swimmer, Henrik Christiansen. The internet knows him as the “Muffin Man”. 

The meme trend started as Henrik Christiansen humorously documented his obsession with the chocolate muffins in the Olympic Village through a series of videos. What made this trend even more popular is that many social media users joined in on the trend by sharing their own muffin experiences or referencing his videos.

This quirky meme shares the less-known side of the Olympic games, the light-hearted moments that occur outside of the events. 

How can you leverage this meme? Focus on Henrik Christiansen’s genuine enthusiasm and create something fun and relatable. 

Quick Tips to Create Your Own Olympics Memes 

Find your memes from the right source 

To begin with, you need a credible source of images and ideas for these memes. The official social media pages of the Olympic games will be your best bet. Like The Olympic Games page, or the Paris 2024 page. 

From historic moments in the game to off-stage moments that capture media attention, these pages share a lot of content that potentially ends up becoming viral memes. So, always check out these pages and the comments section in the posts. Look for moments of drama, triumph, or unexpected reactions—these are often meme-worthy.

Follow the relevant hashtags 

The other way to find ideas for Olympics memes will be to follow relevant hashtags like #Olympic,  #Paralympic, #Paris2024 and #Olympics. 

Brands that already have their own Olympics memes as well as the official pages of the game and their sponsors often use these hashtags. Hence they help you track important discussions around the event. Therefore, by following these tags, you can stay updated on trending discussions and get inspiration from popular meme formats.

Keep an eye on news channels and media outlets like NBC, BBC, or ESPN

The websites and social media pages of these media outlets often cover the Olympics extensively and share behind-the-scenes moments, athlete interviews, and highlights that may not be widely circulated elsewhere. These might be your source of ideas for Olympics memes. 

Here’s a collection of memes recently shared on the NBC Olympics & Paralympics page. 

Use relevant copy 

A meme’s copy is what makes or breaks its impact. Therefore if you need to maximize your conversions with Olympics memes, work on creating a relevant and engaging copy for the memes you choose. While tying back to your brand and your niche is important, preserving the authenticity of the meme and the core message is even more important. Understand the context of the meme and the emotions attached to it to create the most relevant copy. Because poorly interpreted versions of popular memes can backfire. 

Make the Most of Meme Marketing With KIMP 

Global events like the Olympics, the Oscars, The Golden Globe Awards, Met Gala, and others are instant triggers for a wave of meme trends. As a marketer, it’s crucial for you to be on the lookout so you embrace these trends right on time. This is where you might witness the benefits of having a dedicated design team working on all your branding and marketing designs like social media designs including memes based on trends. This dedicated design team along with unlimited designs is what an unlimited design subscription promises. 

Want to test the waters before investing in design subscriptions? Register now for our free 7-day trial! 

Posted On

06 Aug, 2024

Related Posts
7 Types of Podcasts: How Brands Can Leverage Audio Content
01 Aug, 2024
Read More
Friendship Day Campaigns: 8 Ideas to Spark Joy (and Sales)
13 Jun, 2024
Read More