Milano Cortina 2026
Client
Milano Cortina 2026
The project
For the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, SAY established an integrated communications, PR, and content production presence across every phase of the event. From the two-year pre-event build-up to managing on-site communications across competition venues and host locations, through to post-event leverage, every activity was strategically designed to amplify visibility, reputation, and engagement.
The strategy
The agency deployed cross-functional expertise and dedicated specialist teams to drive the Winter Games’ communications strategy. The Milano Cortina 2026 narrative was powered by a service ecosystem designed to generate value before, during, and after the event.
PR activities, high-level media relations, and targeted content were delivered through a coordinated, agile, and objective-driven approach—a model built to support complex, large-scale events with methodological rigor, operational excellence, and strategic vision.
Press Office and Media Relations
To strengthen the positioning of both the event and the organising body across national media outlets, we developed an integrated communications strategy. Our scope spanned corporate and institutional press office management to vertical PR campaigns across lifestyle, food, design, and fashion, delivering a multi-channel narrative that successfully engaged diverse audiences and significantly amplified brand resonance.
426
publications, including articles in print and online publications, as well as TV and radio reports
182
publications that have highlighted the positioning of Milano Cortina 2026
+
60
articles and interviews on topics related to culture and travel connected to the Olympic Museum
184
publications in the fields of lifestyle, food, design, fashion, technology, and local culture
Media Tour
To promote the Milano Cortina 2026 venue locations, we conceptualised and executed two media tours. The first, scheduled nearly a year ahead of the Games, was designed to secure global coverage for the Olympic host regions, extending well beyond sports reporting. In doing so, we enabled the international press to visit the host destinations and capture their most compelling stories, driving significant post-event value for the territories from a tourism perspective.
Concurrently, we organised a dedicated media tour for the Italian press in Switzerland to promote Lausanne, its Olympic Museum, and the city’s cultural offering.
The documentary
Without the thousands of volunteers who support every facet of the operational framework, staging the Olympic Games would be impossible. To highlight their pivotal role within the Olympic Movement, we conceptualised and produced a documentary dedicated to their community.
From defining the creative concept and developing the storyboard through to managing production shoots and editorial delivery, we provided our clients with ongoing strategic consultancy. In doing so, our team crafted a distinctive and deeply moving narrative that brought people, core values, and authentic experiences to the fore, fostering a profound sense of empathy and connection with the audience.
Newsletter
To maintain a strong connection with the volunteers beyond the conclusion of the Games, we established a direct and ongoing communication channel: a dedicated community newsletter.
At SAY, we managed content production, overseeing bilingual copywriting as well as the curation of editorial and visual assets. Furthermore, we defined a strategic content plan to align all output with the channel’s core objectives: reinforcing the community’s sense of belonging and ensuring the continuity of the Olympic narrative.
This approach enabled us to nurture a consistent relationship with an already highly engaged audience, extending the lifespan of our communications beyond the event itself and transforming a shared experience into an active, lasting bond.
On-Site PR Activities and Media Operations
On-site PR activities focused on promoting press conferences at the Milano Cortina 2026 Main Press Centre in Milan, while Press Operations were carried out for cultural events developed by the Olympic Museum in partnership with key Italian organisations.
We collaborated with cultural partners including La Biennale di Venezia, YES Milano, BAM, Fondazione Rovati, Una Montagna di Libri, Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino, Casa Italia, and MuseoCity, building targeted media lists, managing invitations and editorial follow-ups, and coordinating information workflows and key moment presidiums. During the events, we also handled direct journalist relations, organised press conferences, and managed dedicated media appointments.
An integrated effort that successfully elevated events, partnerships, and local activations, turning them into tangible visibility opportunities that connected the brand with host locations, cultural institutions, and the firsthand experience of the media.
