August 5, 2008
With more than 17 million people living in Beijing, the potential Olympics market is huge. In fact companies like Adidas and Anheuser-Busch have paid tens of millions of dollars on marketing to Chinese consumers. Adidas is opening its largest store, and spent an estimated $80 million, according to IEG. To a company like Adidas, the marketing spend is worth it.
But only eight of the games' 12 global sponsors have signed on for the 2010 Vancouver Games or the 2012 summer games in London. A longtime Olympic supporter, Kodak, will pull out of future games. “It's just not the best way for us to spend out money,” says Antonio Perez, CEO of Eastman Kodak. Lenovo, Johnson & Johnson and Manulife Financial are also no longer sponsoring the Olympics after Bejing.
Some research suggests that few consumers notice who backs the Games. In a survey of 1,500 Chinese urban residents, conducted by London's Fournaise Marketing Group, only 15% of Chinese city inhabitants could name two of the 12 global sponsors.
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Comments | 5 Total
August 5, 2008 at 9:04am
Douglas PaulThe Olympics have always been a political hotbed but no more so than this year with it hosted in Beijing, China. The idea that it has become too political and divisive is really a reaction ( and maybe an overreaction ) to all the negative attention and press the Olympics have received this year. I think once we return to hosting the Olympics in places like Athens, Barcelona and etc, the shine will return to the Olympics and sponsors will also. Does that mean there won't be any political messages and actions at those games? No, but compared to what's going on in Beijing, it will just be the usual stuff that won't create many waves. The real issue now is how long it takes for the committee to realize that the next country to host the Olympics will also be charged with restoring the shine to the Olympic games because it is taking a real beating this year and sponsors aren't happy about it.
August 5, 2008 at 6:41pm
Peter MetcherI can't help but wonder if this Big Idea would have come into being had the 2008 games been hosted by another country. There has been much media attention centered around the social and political environment within China that I am not sure was present at previous games.
August 5, 2008 at 7:29pm
If you ask me...the Olympics have not become political enough. Ergo, why are they not taking a harder stand with China? As for the sponsors, etc. Well it is a fickle market and in the case of the Beijing games, I think it is fair to say that many of the very reasons that Chinese inhabitants can only name two of the 12 global sponsors is due in part to the way China manages the flow of information to thier citizens and thus part of the "problem".
I see very little backbone in IOC and doubt they will find one in the near future.
August 6, 2008 at 10:02am
GF IngledewTo award China the Olympics speaks for itself...It is all Political. If I were an athlete I would withdraw myself from the games because they mean nothing anymore...ex Juinor Olympic Swimming Gold Medialist now in his 60's
August 6, 2008 at 12:13pm
Colby FacklerThese Olympics have been politically tame in comparison to past Olympics when taking into consideration the 1980 Moscow Olympics being boycotted by the US, and 61 other countries, and the follow up in 84 with 14 countries boycotting in LA.
The preception that this is the "most" political Olympics needs to be readressed as the human rights issues being raised are valid, but have also become the main media message in the propoganda war against China, as the next major superpower, by the current superpower. Don't forget your history.
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