The big themes of the month are highlighted by the Summer Olympics in Paris (!) this year and our annual Back to School fervor, which ratchets up all month and hits a fever pitch just after Labor Day. But we would be remiss if we didn’t flag a few of August’s most unusual holidays such as World Mosquito Day (August 20), International Left Hander’s Day (August 13), and National Waffle Day (August 24) :-)
As if the Olympics don’t conjure enough dramatic stories of wins and losses, the fact that it’s in Paris inspires an entirely separate catalogue of ideas, from landmarks and museums to fine food and street fashion. Think of the Paris Olympics as an opportunity to break into new content areas with compelling video to tempt and engage.
Says Emma at VideoElephant, “While our publishing clients use an average of 100 videos per day to satisfy their readers’ appetite for video and provide ample brand safe inventory for advertisers, stellar events like the Paris Olympics are a gold mine for more.”
From a purely sports perspective, Team USA fans are drawn to two weeks of games like gymnastics and swimming and in some cases sports most of us don’t watch any other time of the year, like handball and water polo! In addition to the competition itself, it could be an opportunity to look back at these sports throughout history, or at the greatest summer athletes of all time.
According to Bleacher Report, the top 10 summer Olympics sports are:
1. Gymnastics
2. Track
3. Swimming
4. Women’s soccer
5. Water polo
6. Men’s basketball
7. Team volleyball
8. Table tennis
9. Wrestling
10. Handball
Additionally, whether it’s a survey of the great cafes of Paris or a boat tour of Paris on the Seine, experiencing the City of Light alongside the Games themselves should make for at least another 100 hours of compelling video!
As for back to school, this transition period is an annual rite of passage for parents, kids and advertisers emerging from the dog days of summer to embrace the rigors of Fall. The prospect of buying school supplies and new clothes, not to mention coming to grips with new schedules, new teachers and new schools means the opportunities for content are almost endless. Whether it’s DIY projects for kids, up to the minute fashion advice for parents or educational tv shows to get kids back in the mood for learning, it’s a must for channel owners to have plenty of brand safe, advertiser-friendly content during one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year.
For more ideas on August video content, check out our August content calendar, or contact us here.
