SavedAdd your journal

Journals / SPORMETRE Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 23 Sayı: 3

PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY: MEDIA REFLECTIONS ON NATION BRANDING AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

PARİS 2024 OLİMPİYAT OYUNLARI AÇILIŞ TÖRENİ: ULUS MARKALAMA VE KAMU DİPLOMASİSİNİN MEDYA YANSIMALARI

Tuğçe Örsoğlu(ANKARA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SPOR BİLİMLERİ FAKÜLTESİ, BEDEN EĞİTİMİ VE SPOR BÖLÜMÜ)0000-0002-9895-0797
Pages
107–121
Publication Date
2025-09-30
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Findings indicate that, through this ceremony, France sought to highlight both its cultural heritage and modern identity.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Mega sporting events hold significant potential for nations to create a positive international image and foster strong diplomatic relations.
📊
Key Findings & Data:This research aims to examine the reflections of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony in Turkish media from the perspectives of nation branding and public diplomacy.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Findings indicate that, through this ceremony, France sought to highlight both its cultural heritage and modern identity.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2024 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Paris 2024 · Olimpiyat oyunları · açılış töreni

Abstract

Mega sporting events hold significant potential for nations to create a positive international image and foster strong diplomatic relations. This research aims to examine the reflections of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony in Turkish media from the perspectives of nation branding and public diplomacy. The analysis is divided into two parts: 'media interest,' which examines the most frequently covered segments, and 'media stance,' which assesses the attitudes reflected in the news. The content was coded into three themes—'neutral,' 'positive,' and 'negative'—with a total of 20 pattern codes and 185 descriptive codes used 2004 times. Findings indicate that, through this ceremony, France sought to highlight both its cultural heritage and modern identity. While the country effectively showcased its historical and cultural richness, the use of religious symbols in the artistic program sparked controversy. Ultimately, the opening ceremony is seen as part of France’s broader efforts to rebrand itself through nation branding and public diplomacy. However, Turkish media reflections and international press critiques reveal that these strategies did not always yield the desired outcomes. Despite the power of sport as a tool in public diplomacy and nation branding, strategic errors can damage the host country's image.

Özet

Mega spor etkinlikleri, ülkelerin uluslararası kamuoyunda olumlu imaj yaratmaları ve iyi diplomatik ilişkiler geliştirmelerinde önemli bir potansiyele sahiptir. Araştırma, Paris 2024 Olimpiyat Oyunları açılış töreninin Türk medyasındaki yansımalarını, ulus markalama ve kamu diplomasisi perspektifinden incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Analiz iki bölümden oluşmaktadır: medyada en sık yer verilen bölümlerin incelendiği ‘medya ilgisi’ ve haberlerde yansıtılan hangi tutumun incelendiği ‘medya tutumu’. Haber içeriklerinde, ‘nötr’, ‘olumlu’ ve ‘olumsuz’ olarak 3 temaya ayrılan, toplamda 20 örüntü kodu ve 185 betimsel kod, 2004 kez kullanılmıştır. Bulgulara göre, Fransa’nın bu törenle, hem kültürel mirasını hem de modern kimliğini ön plana çıkarmaya çalıştığı görülmektedir. Ülke, tarihi ve kültürel zenginliğini etkili bir şekilde sergilerken, özellikle sanatsal programda kullanılan dini semboller üzerinden sıkça tartışma konusu olmuştur. Sonuç olarak, açılış töreni, Fransa’nın ulus markalama ve kamu diplomasisi bağlamında kendini yeniden tanıtma çabalarının bir parçası olarak görülmektedir. Ancak, Türk medyasındaki yansımalar ve uluslararası basındaki eleştiriler, bu stratejilerin her zaman olumlu sonuçlar vermediğini göstermektedir. Spor, kamu diplomasisi ve ulus markalama süreçlerinde güçlü bir araç olmasına rağmen, stratejik hatalar, ev sahibi ülkenin imajına zarar verebilir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Örsoğlu, T. (2025). PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY: MEDIA REFLECTIONS ON NATION BRANDING AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY. SPORMETRE Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 23 Sayı: 3, 107–121. https://doi.org/10.33689/spormetre.1662857

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (51)

  1. Anholt, S. (2007). Competitive identity: The new brand management for nations, cities and regions. (1st Ed). Palgrave Macmillan.
  2. Anholt, S. & Hildreth, J. (2005). Let freedom and cash registers ring: America as a brand. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 1, 164–172. doi:10.1057/palgrave.pb.5990018 Aronczyk, M. (2007). New and improved nations. Branding national identity. In C. Calhoun and R. Sennett (Eds), Practising culture. (pp. 140-180). Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780203944950
  3. B2Press (2024). Haber siteleri sıralaması. İstanbul: B2Press. https://tr.b2press.com/haber-siteleri
  4. Balçıner, O. (2019). Nation branding as a tool of soft power: The evaluation of Germany and Türkiye nation brands. Academic Review of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(2), 65-87.
  5. Bouchon, F. (2014). Truly Asia and global city? Branding strategies and contested identities in Kuala Lumpur. Place Brand Public Diplomacy, 10, 6-18. doi:10.1057/pb.2013.21
  6. Brannagan, P.M. & Giulianottia, R. (2015). Soft power and soft disempowerment: Qatar, global sport and football’s 2022 World Cup finals. Leisure Studies, 34(6), 703–719. doi:10.1080/02614367.2014.964291
  7. Brown, G., Chalip, L., Jago, L. & Mules, T. (2002). The Sydney Olympics and brand Australia. In Morgan, N., Pritchard, A. and Pride, R. (Eds), Destination Branding: Creating the Unique Destination Proposition (163–185). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
  8. Canatan, K., & Cansun, S. (2015). Ethical bases of immigration policies: An analysis of immigration policies of large political parties in the Netherlands and France. In K. Canatan, M. Birinci, I. Caglar, Y. Kryvenko, S. Oksuz & F. Altun (Eds), Interdisciplinary Migration and Migration Policies Symposium (409-440). Istanbul: IZU.
  9. Carr, E.H. (1983). The twenty years’ crisis 1919–1939: An introduction to the study of international relations. Macmillan.
  10. Cull, N.J. (2008). The public diplomacy of the modern Olympic Games and China’s soft power strategy. In M. E. Price & D. Dayan (Eds.) Owning the Beijing Olympics. Narratives of the New China (117-144). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
  11. Cull, N.J. (2010). Public diplomacy: Seven lessons for its future from its past. Journal of Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 6,11–17. doi:10.1057/pb.2010.4
  12. Cudny, W. (2013). Festival tourism- the concept, key functions and dysfunctions in the context of tourism geography studies. Geographical Journal, 65(2), 105-118.
  13. Doğan, C. (2023). A Critical Approach to the concept of nation branding. Journal of Communication Theory and Research, 65, Winter (2023), 260-273. doi:10.47998/ikad.1309935
  14. Dubinsky, Y. (2019). Analyzing the roles of country image, nation branding, and public diplomacy through the evolution of the modern Olympic movement. Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research, 84, 27-40. doi:10.2478/pcssr-2019-0024
  15. Dubinsky, Y. (2023). The Olympic Games, nation branding, and public diplomacy in a post‑pandemic world: Reflections on Tokyo 2020 and beyond. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy (2023)19, 386–397. doi:10.1057/s41254-021-00255-x
  16. Dubinsky, Y. (2024). The Olympic Games and Judo Diplomacy: An Exploratory Discussion on Country Image in Tokyo 2020. Communication & Sport, 12(1), 149-169. doi:10.1177/21674795231153663
  17. Feldscher, K. (2024). 5 takeaways from the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/26/sport/takeaways-opening-ceremony-2024-paris-olympics/index.html
  18. Gemius Audience (2024). Web+ app gerçek kullanıcı sayısı. Gemius Audience. https://audience.gemius.com/tr/
  19. Gries, P.H., Crowson, H.M., & Sandel, T. (2010). The Olympic Effect on American Attitudes Towards China: Beyond Personality, Ideology, and Media Exposure. Journal of Contemporary China 64(19). doi:10.1080/10670560903444181
  20. Guajardo, M. (2016). Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Nation branding creates an opportunity for a new cultural narrative for Japan. In Picken, S. D. B. (Ed.), International Conference on Japan & Japan Studies 2016 Official Conference Proceedings, (79–90), Nagoya, Japan: The International Academic Forum. https://papers.iafor.org/proceedings/conference-proceedings-IICJ2016/
  21. IOC (2024). Olympic Charter. Lausanne: International Olympic Committee. https://olympics.com/ioc/olympic-charter
  22. Jaffe, E.D. & Nebenzahl, I.D. (2006). National image & competitive advantage: The theory and practice of place branding. Copenhagen: CBS Press.
  23. Knott, B., Fyall, A., & Jones, I. (2017). Sport mega-events and nation branding: Unique characteristics of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29(3), 900-923. doi:10.1108/IJCHM-09-2015-0523
  24. Köksoy, E. (2015). Kamu diplomasisi perspektifinden ulus markalaması. Akdeniz Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi (23), 42-61. doi:10.31123/akil.436862
  25. Küçükhıdır, B. (2024). Nation branding: The case of Türkiye. Telakki Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 4(3), 151-186. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/telakkisbd/issue/82782/1512121#article_cite
  26. Lee, A. (2010). Did the Olympics help the nation branding of China? Comparing public perception of China with the Olympics before and after the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Hong Kong. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 6, 207–227 (2010). doi:10.1057/pb.2010.21
  27. Lezama, E., Pak, L., Yang, R. X., & Yu, S. (2015). Strategies for improving Brazilian public diplomacy with the 2016 Summer Olympics. The George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs, Capstone Paper.
  28. Li, R. (2016). Analyzing nation branding through public relations lenses the case of the 2008 Olympics opening ceremony. Master Thesis. Public Relations, Syracuse University.
  29. Mancuso, V. (2024). The West is destroying its own roots. La Stampa. https://www.lastampa.it/speciale/sport/olimpiadiparigi2024/2024/07/29/news/quella_disacrazione_dellanima_occidentale-14513741/
  30. Melissen J. (2005). The New Public Diplomacy: Between Theory and Practice. In Jan Melissen (Ed.) The New Public Diplomacy: Soft Power in International Relations (3-27). London: Palgrave Macmillan.
  31. Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. New Jersey: Wiley.
  32. Morrow, S. L. (2005). Quality and trustworthiness in qualitative research in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 250-260. doi: 10.1037/00220167.52.2.250
  33. Nye, J. S., Jr. (2019). Soft power and public diplomacy revisited. The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, 14(1-2), 7-20. doi:10.1163/1871191X-14101013
  34. Oxley, S. (2024). Opening ceremony lights up Paris in unique style. BBC. Available at https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/articles/cw4yepmknkpo
  35. Panagiotopoulou, R. (2012). Nation branding and the Olympic games: new media images for Greece and China. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 29(16), 2337-2348. doi:10.1080/09523367.2012.744527
  36. Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (2024). Opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Media guide. Available at https://l24.im/3RCIur
  37. Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed). California: Sage Publishing.
  38. Postlethwaite, V., Jenkin, C., & Sherry, E. (2022). Sport diplomacy: An integrative review. Sport Management Review, 26(3), 361–382. doi:10.1080/14413523.2022.2071054
  39. Potapovs, M. (2024). Place branding: is it public policy, or isn’t it? Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 20, 275–292. doi:10.1057/s41254-024-00327-8
  40. Punch, K. (2014). Introduction to social research (3rd ed.). London: Sage Publishing.
  41. Rein, I., Shields, B. Place branding sports: Strategies for differentiating emerging, transitional, negatively viewed and newly industrialized nations. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy 3, 73–85(2007). doi:10.1057/palgrave.pb.6000049
  42. Rofe, J. S. (2014). It is a squad game: Manchester United as a diplomatic non-state actor in international affairs. Sport in Society, 17(9), 1136–1154. doi:10.1080/17430437.2013.856610
  43. Similar Web (2024). 2024 ağustos ayındaki popüler haber ve medya yayıncıları. Similar Web. https://www.similarweb.com/tr/top-websites/Türkiye/news-and-media/
  44. Song, W. (2010). Impacts of Olympics on exports and tourism. Journal of Economic Development, 35(4), 93-110. doi: 10.35866/caujed.2010.35.4.005
  45. Snow, N. (2020, July 30). Public diplomacy. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies. 6 Oct. 2024. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.013.518
  46. Szondi, G. (2008). Public Diplomacy and nation Branding: Conceptual Similarities and Difference. The Netherlands Institute of International Relations 'Clingendael'.
  47. Van Ham, P. (2002). Branding territory: Inside the wonderful worlds of PR and IR theory. Journal of International Studies, 32(2), 249-269. doi:10.1177/0305829802031002010
  48. Yıldırım, A. & Şimşek, H. (2013). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri. (9. Genişletilmiş Baskı). Ankara: Seçkin.
  49. Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods (5th Ed). London: Sage Publishing.
  50. Zhou, S., Shen, B., Zhang, C., & Zhong, X. (2013). Creating a Competitive Identity: Public Diplomacy in the London Olympics and Media Portrayal. Mass Communication and Society, 16(6), 869–887. doi:10.1080/15205436.2013.814795
  51. Zhong, X., Zhou, S., Shen, B., & Huang, C. (2013). Shining a spotlight on public diplomacy: Chinese media coverage on the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 30(4), 393–406. doi:10.1080/09523367.2013.765727