Olympics Online: CBS and Coca-Cola's Interactive Adventure

Strategic Insights -

Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics are providing a global audience with an immersive online experience, courtesy of CBS and Coca-Cola. With real-time results and extensive content, these websites cater to fans' needs, but also offer more - a glimpse into the city of Nagano, its history, and interactive games. However, users must download and install specific software to access the full range of features.

Key Takeaways:

  • CBS's Olympics website offers an events calendar, 200-word summaries of past Olympiads, and an Olympics fast section with top headlines and links to stories.
  • The site features 16 sport pages, each with a home page covering an Olympic discipline, and an arcade section with video games related to major sports.
  • Coca-Cola's website, on the other hand, provides an interactive tour of the Olympic village, an animated map of the torch relay, and a merchandise section with various items.
  • Both websites require users to download and install Shockwave and Real Audio 5.0, which can take anywhere from 7 to 20 minutes in off-peak time.
  • The Chasing The Dream section, featuring diaries from athletes, has been underwhelming, with limited updates from the skiier Picabo Street and hockey player Cammi Granato.
  • The CBS website offers more detailed background and history on the major players, making it a better resource during the games.
  • Coca-Cola's site, while easier to navigate, provides more information on Japan and Nagano before the games.

Statistics:

  • The Olympics websites have been implemented with the goal of providing real-time results and extensive content to fans.
  • The websites require users to download and install specific software, including Shockwave and Real Audio 5.0.
  • The time it takes to download and install the software varies from 7 to 20 minutes in off-peak time and can be much longer in peak time.
  • CBS's Olympics website offers 16 sport pages, each with a home page covering an Olympic discipline.
  • Coca-Cola's website has an interactive tour of the Olympic village, an animated map of the torch relay, and a merchandise section with 33 items.

Sources:

  • CBS http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/olympics/nagano98
  • Coca-Cola http://www.cocacola.co.jp/nagano98/index.htm
  • [Note: No external references cited.