Exclusive product or service category: Cloud Services and E-Commerce Platform Services

The Chinese e-commerce company, Alibaba, became a new TOP tier partner with the Olympic Games at the beginning of 2017. After negotiations with IOC President, Thomas Bach, founder Jack Ma secured a 12-year contract reportedly worth $800 million (£660 million/€718 million). Alibaba’s chief of marketing officer, Chris Tung, proposed the company’s intentions were to “digitally transform the Games” with talk of enhancing spectator experience by including facial recognition, travel guidance and re-imagined e-Commerce capabilities into the 16-day long sporting event. Overall, they wish to use their technology in order to modernise the Games by making them more secure, efficient and cost effective. 

Exclusive product or service category: Information Technology

Since 2001, Atos has been the official provider of information technology for the Olympic Games. The French IT company has been at the head of a movement towards ensuring the Games are fully connected, secure and digitally enabled, making history at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang which marked the first time that all the Games’ critical IT systems were remotely managed and hosted on Atos’ cloud. The company is responsible for covering everything from accreditations, sports entries and qualifications to the IOC’s volunteer portal and the distribution of results in real time. 

Exclusive product or service category: Tyres, certain tyre and automotive vehicle services, self-propelled bicycles, seismic isolation bearings and a variety of diversified products

Bridgestone have been part of the TOP programme since 2014 and continue to develop their ties with the IOC following the announcement of them becoming the first founding partner of the Olympic Channel in 2016. Their involvement in the TOP programme grants them the exclusivity of being the official provider of tyres, certain tyre and automotive vehicle services, self-propelled bicycles, seismic isolation bearings and a variety of other diversified products for the Olympic Games. With the company ideology of “chase your dream,” Bridgestone’s aim is to inspire people to achieve goals in the face of adversity, a motto they amplify through the platform of the Olympics. 

Exclusive product or service category: Non-alcoholic beverages

Coca-Cola, as the world’s leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages, have sponsored the Olympic Games since 1928, making its marketing debut at the event in Amsterdam. The globally-successful drinks company, as a result of its partnership, are tasked with refreshing athletes, officials and spectators with its beverages during the course of the Olympic Games. In addition to its long-standing partnership with the IOC, Coca-Cola have also partnered up with all 205 National Olympic Committees and teams.

Exclusive product or service category: The official chemistry company and carbon partner

Joining the TOP programme in 2010, Dow’s task has been to combine the power of science and technology with the “human element” to passionately innovate what is essential to the human progress. Their partnership was enhanced in 2017, following their success of becoming the official carbon provider of the Games. They took on the challenge of delivering a carbon mitigation programme to compensate for carbon emissions from the IOC’s daily operations. An example of their effect on the Games was the insulation technologies and heat transfer fluids used at the Olympic Sliding Centre and ice skating venues at the 2018 Games held in Pyeongchang.

Exclusive product or service category: Selected industrial equipment for systems used in energy, healthcare, transportation and infrastructure industries

General Electric became a partner of the TOP programme in 2006 and has since brought innovative ideas and technologies to the Games. Their role involves working primarily with the host countries, providing power, lighting, water treatment and transportation to provide infrastructure solutions for the Olympic venues. GE also work with local hospitals and provide them with diagnostic imaging equipment such as ultrasounds and MRIs.

Exclusive product or service category: Leading technology to enhance the Olympic Games

Intel became a TOP partner in June 2017 after the premature departure of McDonald’s from the group of 13 official sponsors. Wasting little time, their initial aim was to integrate technology into many areas of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, brining along their 5G, VR, 3D and 360 degree content development platforms, artificial intelligence platforms and drones.  Their aim is to expand the boundaries of technology. Their website says: “We are creating Olympic experiences that are more innovative and immersive than ever before.”

Exclusive product or service category: Official Timekeeper 

The esteemed Swiss watchmaker Omega has been the timekeeper for the Olympic Games since 1932, becoming an official TOP sponsor in 2004. As well as timekeeping for all Olympic events, Omega also equip competitors with motion sensors that interact with antennas placed at each event venue in order to feed-back immediate information such as live speeds and comparative data. Omega’s affiliation with the Olympics has also led them to time-keep for other major events. The company’s most notable achievement was the Omega’s Speedmaster being worn on each of NASA’s manned missions, including all six journeys to the moon. 

Exclusive product or service category: Audio/TV/video equipment

Panasonic began its involvement with the IOC in 1984 at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in which it supplied professional sound systems along with a large video display for the main stadium. Only three years later, in 1987, it became an official provider after joining the TOP programme as a chartered member. From then on it has supplied the Games with equipment such as flat screen TVs, digital video cameras, DVD recorders and professional audio/visual equipment. Its technology has delivered a close-up of the Games to spectators worldwide. 

Exclusive product or service category: Personal care and household products

Being one of the world’s largest consumer goods corporations, P&G established a 10-year contract with the IOC in 2010 which will be coming to an end after the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. One of its most memorable schemes was in 2018 where it began a campaign entitled “Reply 50 million” in which it asked its South Korean members to write messages P&G could deliver to participating athletes expressing their support. The P&G house has always taken on the role of being a home away from home for the athletes, a place where they can meet with their families and friends to relax and eat a hot meal. 

Exclusive product or service category: Wireless communications equipment and computing equipment

Beginning their sponsorship of the Olympics at the Seoul Games in 1988, Samsung have since maintained a more than 30-year legacy in enabling meaningful connections through innovative technologies. In 1998 they were announced as being an official worldwide sponsor of the Games, providing vital communication and computing equipment. Beginning with the 2018 Winter Olympics, they have expanded to wireless communications and computing equipment, widening the product category out to other IT products, including tablets, laptops, personal computers and printers in order to help expand the Olympic Movement. 

Exclusive product or service category: Vehicles, mobility support robots and mobility services.

Toyota joined the TOP programme in 2015, becoming the first-ever mobility partner of the Olympic Movement. As a company, they are focused on mobility being a source of inspiration and as a way to improve the quality of life for people around the world. Their aim for the 2020 Olympics is to improve on the Games’ sustainability. They hope to achieve this by working alongside Organising Committees to provide solutions to create safer, sustainable and more efficient mobility at the Games. The Japanese company hope to bring to the Games intelligent transport systems as well as vehicle-to-vehicle communications and much more.

Exclusive product or service category: Payment services

Visa has been a member of the TOP programme since 1986, providing reliable, exclusive payment technology for the Games ever since. Not only does it provide around 1,000 payment terminals at the Games, the company has also developed a tradition of programmes that support Olympic athletes and the youth around the world, teaching them about the history and purpose of the Olympic Movement. As a leading payment brand, they have also pushed to create innovative technology in order to enhance the consumer’s experience. At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Visa introduced new methods of paying via glove, sticker and pin.