Brand New View

Drug Testing for London 2012

The BBC reports that there will be 5,000 random drug tests conducted at the 2012 London Olympics to detect for banned substances, nearly half of the 11,000 athletes expected. The number of tests has risen in recent years, from over 3,600 tests at the 2004 Athens Olympics and nearly 4,800 tests in Beijing in 2008. 26 positive tests were discovered in Athens and 20 in Beijing, suggesting that athletes are either cleaning up or they are finding clever ways to get around the tests. The answer is probably a combination of the two. In The Olympic Games Effect I discuss athlete controveries, including the use of banned substances to enhance athletic performance. Athletes seeking advantage over competitors by using performancing enhancing substances are not unique to the Modern Olympics. There were athletes in the Ancient Greek world that used hallucinogens, wines, herbal compounds, and even ground rhinocerous testicles in the hope that these substances would give them an edge. Scientific testing did not exist in the Ancient Greek world, but if cheaters were discovered, they would be subjected to beatings, or fines, or both. They would also have to pay for a statue that lined the pathways leading to Olympic venues, inscribed with a description of what they did wrong. This was a visible way to shame the transgressor particularly since it was a permanent reminder of that athlete's character, or more accurately their character flaws, sending a powerful message at a time when virtue and honor were considered society's most important qualities. Today's drug tests, as imperfect as they are, help reinforce society's expectations that the Olympics are supposed to represent the very highest levels of athletic integrity. Any victories earned through the use of banned substances diminishes the athlete's accomplishments and forever places an asterisk next to their names and also tarnishes the reputation of the Olympics. Such performances are not authentic, and authenticity is one of the vital ingredients required to create a truly valuable brand.

MPs Are Fans of London 2012 Beach Volleyball?

Last week a blog in the Guardian called 'What's the allure of beach volleyball for politicians and civil servants?' questioned the actual interest of MPs (Members of Parliament) in the sport. With 410 tickets purchased for the beach volleyball matches commencing on July 28 versus only 246 tickets purchased for athletics the MPs appear to have voted with their pounds for their favorite Olympics sport. The article suggests indirectly that the MPs real interest is due to the minimal outfits beach volleyball athletes wear. An alternative explanation is that most of the volleyball matches fall on a weekend, a far more convenient time that does not interfere with their weekday governmental responsibilities. The article pointed out that former President George W. Bush watched some of the beach volleyball in Beijing in 2008, even gently slapping Misty May-Treanor across her lower back (she had offered him to slap her backside-a traditional way beach volleyballers congratulate one another after a successful point, but he wisely declined...). Whatever the reason for beach volleyball's popularity, it is great to see the sport garnering so much attention. With the 15,000 seats nearly sold out for London 2012, it is clear the sport has developed a fan following after being introduced to the Olympics in 1996. The athletes are remarkably talented, the sport is exciting, and the physical challenge is clear (anyone who has run on loose sand, let alone jumped around on it for a few minutes will quickly understand why beach volleyball is physically very demanding). As I discuss in my new book, The Olympic Games Effect, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) regularly reviews the entire program after each Olympiad, determining which sports to drop or add. By updating the Games incrementally to stay on top of sports trends, the IOC is able to help keep the Olympics fresh and relevant with new offerings while also maintaining the fan interest in core sports like athletics, swimming and gymnastics. I will give the benefit of the doubt to the MPs and assume they doing their best to support their home Olympics by viewing whatever sports they can while still attending to the affairs of government.

Winter YOG 2012

It has now been 1 week since the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck ended. A quick web search will reveal many wonderful performances from young athlete's around the world, including women's half-pipe gold medalist Hikaru Ohe of Japan. Yet how many of you were even aware the Winter YOG took place at all? As I discuss in my new book, The Olympic Games Effect, the YOG is designed to bring the youth of the world together to participate in sport, education and culture while living by Olympic values. This is an admirable ambition, but not enough people know about it. Granted, the YOG is a new mega-sports event, leveraging off the success of the regular Olympics, so there may be confusion about what makes it unique. Also, new sports brands are not built overnight. But a more aggressive marketing plan needs to be developed to build awareness about the YOG overall, and to clearly describe the factors that make it unique as compared to the regular Olympics. The winter sports TV, social media, and print coverage in the U.S. discussed the just concluded Winter X Games. While the Winter X Games were established in 1995 and therefore have had time to grow, the YOG has its work cut out for it in the years ahead if it wants to craft a compelling event worthy of Olympic stature while building a global fan base.

UPDATE: The Olympic Games Effect, 2012 edition now available!

My latest book, The Olympic Games Effect (2012 edition), is now available for downloadable purchase at Amazon.com and Apple's iBook Store. The Barnes and Noble Nook version will be ready shortly.  

Anybody watching the Youth Olympic Games? More information on this in The Olympic Games Effect.

What Does YOG Mean to You?

How many of you are aware that an event called the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) exists? Were you also aware that the YOG are part of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) efforts to build the Olympic brand? And did you also know that there is a Winter YOG taking place right now, this week, in Innsbruck featuring the world's top teen athletes? Do you know how many YOG events have been held in their history? Where was the first YOG? If you are aware of any of these things, are you also paying attention to the results? How are you getting your information?

I am curious how many of you know about this at all. I discuss the Youth Olympic Games in my new book, The Olympic Games Effect, which is going to be available in stores and online in just a few days. Of course, the YOG are not the only Olympics topic I discuss, but there is interesting information within that brings readers up to speed on the IOC's YOG efforts. Let me know whether you are following the YOG at all...

The Olympics' Role in Fostering National Pride

One of the points I discuss in my forthcoming book, The Olympic Games Effect (2nd edition), is that the Olympics spur national pride, an intangible benefit that reinforces the prestige and allure of the Games. A recent BBCNews article echoes this same point, based on a poll by Globescan of over 20,000 from countries around the world. Interestingly, despite being the host of the forthcoming Olymics in London, 50% of UK respondents said the Olympics were important to their national pride, whereas more than 70% of Peruvians, and over 80% of Chinese, believed the Olympics affected national pride. Poll findings in other countries also indicate that the Olympics positively affect national pride,  suggesting that the Olympics are alive and still very well received around the world, an inspiring result in an era of economic, environmental and political turmoil.

London 2012: Despite Tough Economy, Glimmers of Optimism

The economy continues to struggle in much of the non-Asian world, and the UK's economic austerity program does not appear to be helping. The National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said that the UK won't return to 2008 growth levels until at least 2013, a 5 year period of lost opportunity. Unemployment has risen (again) in the UK as well over the past few months. The NIESR states that additional stimulus is needed, or the situation is unlikely to improve. And, of course, the political climate in the UK suggests such a stimulus is unlikely. In the midst of these challenging times, questions about the costs of the forthcoming 2012 Olympics are inevitable. But should the tough economy cause government planners and the London Olympic Committee to scale back plans, or even cancel the Games? According to a BBC blog by Roger Mosey (the BBC's director of London 2012), the answer is no. As he states, the "prospect of a 2012 with the Olympics in London is still a better prospect than one without." As I point out in my forthcoming book The Olympic Games Effect, hosting an Olympic Games is a daunting, complex task with potential benefits that rise above pure economic gain. While not all host cities generate sustained economic benefit (indeed, many of the Economic Impact Studies produced during the host city bidding process often overstate the actual economic gains), there is evidence that suggests a well-coordinated host city strategy comprised of pre, during, and post Olympics phases that actively plans for leveraging the investment for years afterward, can stimulate a sustained and positive outcome. There is also evidence that the Olympics serve to lift the spirits and infuse a collective sense of societal optimism for both the host nation and countries around the world. Does this mean that London 2012 will inspire an economic turnaround in the UK? The Olympics alone cannot accomplish such a Herculean task, despite the Games' reputation for inspiring super human performances. But cutting back London's Olympic investments (effectively creating an 'Olympics lite') would send a far more severe, negative message about the UK, the Olympics and the economy as a whole. Part of what drives market behavior is a sense of confidence, and ensuring the 2012 London Olympics are given every chance to succeed will help build confidence, which is certainly a vital task in stimulating economic activity.

Ambush Marketing

Check out this September 2011 article from Interbrand about Ambush Marketing. I write about ambush marketing, among many sports marketing topics, in my new book The Olympic Games Effect. For Olympic sponsors, especially TOP sponsors (which invest over $80 million for the rights to be an Olympic sponsor, then another 2-3 times that to activate their sponsorship), ambush marketing is a valid, yet hard to manage, concern. For those unfamiliar, ambush marketing occurs when companies try to create an association with the Olympics (or any sports event), even though they are not official sponsors. The effort can undermine the marketing efforts of official sponsors, and serve to confuse consumers as well. We will undoubtedly see an increase in Olympic marketing activity in the months ahead and it will be interesting to discern which are official sponsors versus the ambushers. Stay tuned.

Olympic History...and Inspiration

The Olympics have nearly 3,000 years of stories that have helped shaped this mega-sports event into the global phenomenon it is today. So much of Olympic history is about the athletic excellence of the competitors. One such competitor is Orsippus of Megara who, in 720 BC, was competing in a footrace when his covering came off part way through the race. He went on to win, unwittinginly inspiring subsequent generations of competitors during Ancient times to compete in the nude. While such a spectacle is highly unlikely today, there is little question that Olympic competitors are always looking for an edge, whether psychological, in terms of training methodology, or competitive strategy and, when victory occurs, other competitors and fans try to learn how to adapt the winner's approach to their own needs.  

The Olympic Games Effect, 2012 edition

The 2nd edition of my book, 'The Olympic Games Effect', will be published early in 2012 (John Wiley and Sons). Updated and revised for the London 2012 Olympics, I discuss the pros and cons of Olympic sponsorships. My recent TEDx talk included examples from the book. In the book I review sponsorships in the broader context of Olympic history, as well as host city bids, economic impact, marketing strategy, and the more recent advances in social media. While the book is still a month or two away from release, the support and buzz has already been tremendous, including invaluable endorsements from some truly remarkable people: Glenn Hubbard-Dean, Columbia Business School and former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors; Lynn Kahle-the Ehrman Giustina Professor of Marketing and Department Chair at the Lundquist College of Business, University of Oregon (and home of one of the U.S.'s top sports marketing programs, the James H. Warsaw Sports Marketing Center); Dae Ryun Chang-Professor of Marketing, Yonsei University School of Business; Anton Meyer-Professor of Business Administration and CEO of the Institute of Marketing at Ludwig Maximilians University; Richard Burton-the David B. Falk Professor of Sport Management at Syracuse University; and Kimio Kase-Professor of Strategic Management at IESE. I will be teaching a new course in the winter term based on this book, and also giving talks around the world throughout the year. In June, I return to the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece, to teach in their Masters of Olympic Studies program. I will be writing more about the book in the weeks and months ahead as the London 2012 Games get closer and closer. Please contact me at john@brandnewview.com if you want more information about the book and/or speaking opportunities. 

In Olympics-related news, the International Olympic Committee launched a new Integrated Communications program today called 'Show Your Best' that seeks videos entries of people doing their best, whether they are Olympic athletes or not. The idea is to showcase the remarkable range of talent out there in the world. A range of prizes will be given for the best entries, including a trip to see the 2012 London Olympics. Show Your Best is the latest effort by the International Olympic Committee to connect with fans, particularly the youth, extending a dynamic set of new initiatives in recent years that have included the launch of the new Youth Olympic Games (YOG). The first summer YOG was in August 2010 in Singapore, and the first winter YOG will be in Innsbruck January 13-22, 2012 (just a few weeks away!).