A stakeholder perspective on the value co-creation of the Youth Olympic Games brand: a qualitative case study in a Norwegian context

Abstract

The purpose with this case study research has been to understand the stakeholders’ perception of the Youth Olympic Games brand (YOG), in a Norwegian context. The research was conducted from a marketing perspective using a framework by Helm and Jones (2010) to illustrate how the value co-creation of the YOG brand may work. Eleven stakeholders from various stakeholder groups were interviewed based on their experience with the YOG. The three research questions for this thesis were: 1. Are the stakeholders of the YOG co-creating the brand? 2. Has the YOG achieved brand equity? 3. Has the extension of the Olympic brand been a success? Parent, Kristiansen, Skille and Hanstad (2013) identified the most salient stakeholders of the Innsbruck YOG, and these were used to contact stakeholders in a Norwegian context. The research indicates that the majority of the stakeholders’ co-create value to some extent. The full value co-created is unclear due to vague expectations of the brand delivery among stakeholders. Their level of brand loyalty was tied to their professional relationship with the brand, and it has consequently been difficult to determine whether they will stay loyal to the brand on a personal basis in the future. The sponsors were not included in this research as none of them accepted to the research inquiry. Few Norwegian journalists covered the event, and the journalist included in this research did not have a positive attitude towards the brand. As a result the sponsors and the media at do not seem to be in a co-creation of mindset with YOG at this point of time. As the YOG is still in the initial stage of the product life cycle it is too early to determine whether the brand contribute to the overall strength of the Olympic brand. The IOC did not have a clear understanding of the YOG brand. This seems to have created come confusions (i.e. stakeholders’ expectations), and consequently the brand extension has been quite challenging. This gives a reason to indicate that the co-creation has not been as effective as it could. For the YOG brand to become a successful extension and contribute to the overall value of Olympic brand, the brand must attain all the intangible assets that lead to brand equity.