Rio 2016 Candidate City

The Challenge

To secure the selection of Rio de Janeiro as Host City of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, bringing the Games to South America for the first time in history.

VERO’s Role

• Capture the essence of Rio’s ‘offer’ through a compelling narrative and the key themes of celebration, certainty and transformation
• Global communications plan development from selection as Candidate City until the Host City election in October 2009
• Contribute to the development of Rio 2016 presentations scripts, films and visual support
• Strategic planning of proactive, and creative communications and PR
• Onsite support at key continental Olympic Family presentations, including the IOC Evaluation Commission visit and the IOC Session in Copenhagen
• Hosting international press conferences and briefing bid leadership, high ranking politicians, athletes and ambassadors
• Domestic campaign strategy development
• Bid communications material development (e.g. brochures, direct mailings, etc)
• Advising on Rio 2016 advertising campaign strategy and implementation
• Handling all international media relations and monitoring

The Outcome

Following an outstanding presentation by the Rio 2016 team led by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Bid Committee President Carlos Nuzman, Rio de Janeiro was elected Host City for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games on 2 October 2009 in Copenhagen at the 121st IOC Session, with a final round vote 66 for Rio and 32 for Madrid.

The selection of Rio for the 2016 Games made front page news in over 250 publications, providing a massive boost to the image and reputation of Rio and Brazil worldwide.

The Rio 2016 campaign has been presented and recognised as a case study in global communications to international audiences.

Rio, Brazil and South America all benefitted, and will continue to do for years to come, from the victorious campaign both in terms of brand reputation, international recognition and now real investment.