Branding Beyond the Olympics: Lessons from a Night in Paris

Now that the excitement of the 2024 Olympics has faded, I find myself reflecting on an unexpected lesson I learned from my first night while in Paris.

As rain fell on the opening night of the 2024 Olympics, we found ourselves under a covered outdoor patio at a place called Joe Allen’s, an American-themed restaurant— of all places to be in Paris, right?

The Opening Ceremony was filled with messages of solidarity and diversity, and those same themes were also apparent in the crowd that filled the patio taking in the thrilling and uniquely “French” program. Cheers abound from the different nationalities as the countries’ boats passed along the river Seine.

If you want to see branding done right, visit a major sporting event like the Olympics. From social posts to the array of signage to the uniforms of the volunteers, the French Olympic committee showed its best on that opening night and throughout the city. As a creative director, I couldn’t have been prouder of my fellow designers. But, in a weird twist, the most memorable brand experience for me happened as the manager of the restaurant I was sitting at, Antoine, stopped to introduce himself and enlighten us on the story of Joe Allen’s. The restaurant started in the states (New York) with locations in London and of course in Paris, near the Marais district. He spoke with us at length, telling the story of the restaurant, all the while making us feel at home.

For many brands, this is the struggle: How do you tell your story, connect with your customer, and create a memorable experience for them? As the creative director for an agency that helps brands “be extraordinary,” I learned an invaluable lesson that night— strong visuals pull the customer in, but add an incredible story, and you can have a customer for life.

Though restaurants, cafes and bistros are on every corner in Paris, we continued to stop by Joe Allen’s during our trip because of a simple and kind gesture to say hello to us by Antoine, manager extraordinaire and, simply put, a kind human being.

So you ask, what does this have to do with me? As a smaller but formidable agency, our entire goal is to build the kind of rapport (like Antoine’s) that makes you feel wanted, secure and know we have your best interest at heart. Our goal is to help tell your story so incredibly that your customers never leave, while at the same time you also gain new ones.

If you ever find yourself in Paris, [London, or New York], check out Joe Allen’s and say hello to my friend Antoine. One thing’s for sure: he’ll make you feel at home.