Olympia London
Brand History 1886 Architect Henry Edward Coe reveals Olympia London’s elevation, showing the iconic 170 ft clear roof span. On Boxing Day, Olympia London opens its doors to the public with the Paris Hippodrome Circus. 1888 The First Great Horse Show takes place and remains one of Olympia London’s calendar highlights as The London International Horse Show. 1908 Olympia London hosts the first Ideal Home Show, which is still held at the venue today. 1955 Olympia London hosts the first Boat Show. 1967 Jimi Hendrix, The Animals and a young Pink Floyd play Olympia London. 2012 Olympia London celebrates 125 years with specially commissioned works of art, including pieces by artist Peter Blake. 2013 Following a multi-million-pound revamp and separation from Earls Court, the business is rebranded as Olympia London. 2019 A £1bn project to transform Olympia London into a destination for events, culture and business is approved by Hammersmith & Fulham Council. Conceptualised by British designer Thomas Heatherwick, it is the biggest investment in the venue to date.
spaces such as gardens, galleries as well as more than 40 restaurants and eateries, accessible for all to enjoy.
Promotion Olympia London may have a 134-year history however, the current brand is fairly young, having been launched seven years ago after separating from the neighbouring venue, Earls Court. It has since grown exponentially, reaching Superbrands status in 2017, and owns the fastest growing social media audience in its sector with an impressive 13% growth rate in 2019. In the same year, its inspirational events were promoted using a creative digital campaign across social media as well as posters at London’s busiest tube stations, achieving more than 22 million views. The brand has also sponsored a range of industry initiatives
including the 30 Under 30 awards to celebrate up and coming talent.
Brand Values
partners. This helped to reduce food waste by 17% in 2019, along with distributing surplus food to those in need within the community.
Reflecting a strong set of values, which focus on care, commitment, passion, trust and respect, Olympia London holds sustainability at the core of its world-class offering. This encompasses grassroots initiatives which champion the environment, community and education.
Engaging with the local community is another outcome of its values, with initiatives that support local charities and causes, for example, offering the venue to Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank during the Covid-19 pandemic as a food distribution centre.
For more than a decade, Olympia London has sent no waste to landfill with 98% being recycled and the remaining 2% converted into renewable energy. More recently, single-use plastics such as straws and cutlery have been eliminated from the venue. Olympia London also continues to focus on sourcing food locally with its catering
Over the course of its 134 years, the ‘home of inspirational events’ has created lifelong memories for millions of people. Keeping true to its brand values and building towards a solid vision for the next 130 years, Olympia London continues to inspire and delight with its rich heritage and bright future.
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