Ambush marketing at the Rio Olympics – which case won?

The Facts

What is ambush marketing?

Ambush marketing is the practice by which a company attempts to associate its products or services with an event without paying to become an official sponsor of that event. Businesses sometimes do this as a way to get more customers while at the same time saving money on the cost of sponsorship.

This happened recently when telco giant Telstra decided to associate itself with the Rio Olympic Games, presumably for the obvious marketing benefits of being linked to a universally popular and widely televised sporting event. Another factor in Telstra's decision to take this course of action could have been that its arch-rival, Optus, was an official sponsor of the Olympic Games.