The anniversary of the London 2012 Paralympic Games provided another moment to pause and reflect on the truly groundbreaking spectacle that we witnessed last summer. For many, London was the moment when the talent, dedication and hard work of the athletes of ParalympicsGB was recognised, alongside that of their Olympic counterparts, whose performances had enraptured the nation just weeks before. The London 2012 Paralympic Games succeeded in taking the Paralympic movement in the UK to a new level.

The British Paralympic Association (BPA), the organisation responsible for selecting, preparing and managing the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at the Paralympic Games, had made it clear in its strategic plan published before the Games that London would not represent a ‘high water mark’ and that they were determined to build on this success over the next Paralympic cycle. Therefore, the organisation tasked itself with maximising the momentum from London and began working in earnest on preparations for the Sochi 2014 Winter Games and the Rio 2016 Games.

From a communications perspective, it was clear that there had been a decisive shift in the way that people were consuming news and media throughout London 2012. It wasn’t just the sold-out venues in London that were buzzing. During the build-up to the Games, the BPA’s website saw an increase in traffic of 570 per cent, social media following on Facebook and Twitter rose by 2,726 per cent and on Twitter #Paralympics became the most popular sporting hashtag of the year in the UK, beating both #Olympics and several high profile football hashtags. Such developments led the International Paralympic Committee to hail London as the first ever ‘digital Games’.

Engaging the Audience
London 2012 demonstrated clearly that the BPA’s digital platforms represented a key mechanism for engaging with the general public and stakeholders. The size of the BPA’s following on social media affirms that it is now its biggest communication route and positions it as the world’s leading Paralympic nation when it comes to digital. Through these mechanisms, the BPA has the power to engage a diverse audience which encompasses not only fans of ParalympicsGB, but also sports, sponsors and potential fundraisers.

The need for further investment in digital was identified to support the BPA’s objective to build on the momentum from London if it was to be sustained through to Sochi, Rio and beyond. The Purple Agency was announced as the BPA’s chosen digital agency in April 2013 following a rigorous and highly competitive tender process. Jane Jones, marketing and communications director at the BPA, said of the decision: “Between Beijing and London, it became evident that we are operating in an increasingly digital world and that our methods of communication are constantly evolving. For example, at the Games in Beijing in 2008, Facebook and Twitter were not widely used as a primary news source and they were not part of our Games-time communications strategy. The importance of social media in London highlighted the extreme difficulty in predicting how people will be producing and consuming media in four years’ time. Through its pitch, Purple demonstrated that it has the capability to help us navigate the changing landscape to best engage with our supporters and stakeholders, while building in the flexibility needed for such an ambitious four year project.”

Purple has been tasked with providing the strategic planning that will enhance the development of the BPA’s online channels and key digital assets to continue to maximise the profile of Paralympic sport over the next cycle.

The BPA’s ambition is to maintain its position as a leading Paralympic nation by adopting the latest and most relevant technologies to its audience. This includes addressing website development in line with responsive technologies, looking into newly-developed or developing platforms and advising on the future digital landscape.

Mark Wynn, digital director at Purple, says: “The Paralympic brand and movement is highly inclusive, attracting a diverse base of fans, supporters and participants. Our task is to bring the Paralympic brand to life in the digital arena, using the latest technologies and platforms to: create a “buzz” around the Paralympic brand, create ways for people to contribute and share, grow the audience and increase their involvement.”

Keeping a watch
The BPA faces a challenge in its planning, as it operates in four year cycles between Games. The ‘best prepared’ philosophy which underpins the team’s preparations for the Games will be a cornerstone in the partnership between the BPA and Purple. The integrated digital strategy that will be put in place will not only be used to communicate effectively and efficiently with the BPA’s audience, but it will also be relied upon in the fast-paced and unpredictable working environment that the BPA anticipates it will face in Rio.

Website traffic and social media following will be monitored and assessed to evaluate how the BPA’s digital output is being received by fans, the media and the wider Paralympic family, with the organisation keen to see steady increases in audience size as the Games move closer. Digital communications also enable tailored massages to be focused on particular groups at key moments. The real time, always on nature of many digital channels gives them an immediacy that can’t be matched through any other media. Co-consumption of live TV or digitally streamed content, with social media interaction means people can share the moment enhancing their enjoyment of the live event and creating a virtual stadium experience wherever they are.  

Reinforcing this position, Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of the BPA, added: “We saw from London that the live coverage of the Paralympic Games has the power to drastically increase our audience on social media, but we recognise that it’s not just a numbers game. As of 2013, our audience numbers have continued to grow so we have built a strong relationship with them and they have demonstrated their loyalty to us. Looking to Rio, we want to ensure we maximise the opportunity to maintain this and develop the tools and technology we need.”

Getting involved
The relationship between the BPA and the Purple Agency will begin with the redevelopment of the Deloitte Parasport website, the ‘yellow pages’ for disability sport, which is run by the BPA in collaboration with professional services firm Deloitte.

Parasport, which helps users identify the sports suitable for them and locate clubs in their local area, saw a 2,000 per cent increase in visitors during the London Paralympic Games. The Club Finder widget can also be re-skinned for use on other sites, and was supported by Channel 4 and the English Federation of Disability Sport during the Games.

Parasport serves as another example of how the Paralympic Games can inspire and drive increased engagement with disability sport at all levels, right from the achievements of ParalympicsGB athletes on the field of play, through to grassroots development.

It is the potential to extend support for the work of the BPA and the growing profile of the Paralympic movement in the UK which makes the prospect of 2014 and 2016 even more exciting.

The Paralympic movement has mass audience appeal. Building and mobilising this audience to support ParalympicsGB at key events, but also to foster the movement and increase active involvement are all core goals for Purple in working with the BPA.

Digital provides the key in building on the connection made between ParalympicsGB and the British public that we witnessed in London. The ambitious digital strategy being devised by the BPA and Purple will go along way to help ensure that our home supporters still feel part of the action when our athletes compete overseas.