This is not a post that is meant to voice my political views for or against China. For a couple of reasons. One important reason is that as an American it would be hypocritical for me to voice an outrage for China’s actions when we (Americans) borrow money from China to support a war started without provocation by Iraq, violate the “Geneva Convention”, practice torture at GITMO and Abu Ghraib and trample the foundations of our constitution by allowing the American government to violate our own Civil Liberties.
In the Comments section you are invited to post comments on your ideas for “Spinning the 2008 Olympic Mess”.
If you really feel the need to voice your political views I ask that you
do not use any hate speech or racist remarks…. it will be deleted.

The recent protests against China and its treatment of Tibet during the torch relays have led me to think, “How do advertisers who are committed to advertising during the 2008 Olympic Games by sponsorship of national teams or media advertising contracts during the broadcast of the games manage to come out of this smelling like a rose?” And how do corporations who are not already bound by the above utilize this opportunity to get the most out of their advertising dollars during the course of the games?

One major problem would be that the act of buying airtime during the Olympic games could be seen by consumers as supporting the Chinese Olympics. So, advertisers should be looking at advertising on television stations that are not televising the games. This could be the corporations who are already sponsoring in some form the Olympics, but I think it would be a better option for those who decided not to sponsor the games or the teams. For those who are not sponsoring the games or teams this offers an opportunity to voice their support for human rights. Let’s say you are Company X, and you are not a sponsor of the games or a national team, this would be an opportunity to air a commercial something like this:

• 60 sec.
• Fade in, Asian music in BG: Camera pans across terraced mountains. Asian monks walking with heads down past military.
• Cut to new location, children crying tribal drums in BG: Camera pans arid desert to impoverished family with burned hut and truck of local war-lords driving off.
• Cut to new location, another example of inhumane treatment…
• Change to western location with multi cultures laughing playing looking healthy and genuinely happy.
• Voice Over, Female Voice: “Not everyone shares the same rights and freedoms we do. That is why {Company X} is donating {y} percent of this years profits to Amnesty International (or some other “rights of man” charity)
• Fade to black: quote from Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi or other rights of man supporter reversed out. Small {company X} logo bottom right of screen with tag line: “Supporting the rights a man”

A commercial like this plays to the sympathies of the public, and yet does not name any exact offender of rights abuse, but does allow the viewer to form their own assumptions and possibly identify with their beliefs.

It seems that it would be easier for a non sponsor to take advantage of this opportunity to spin their message. Let’s look at a couple of options for those who are already committed to advertising on the channels airing the games. The first idea I would like to propose is “don’t make the athletes suffer”.

• 90 sec. to 2 min.
• Small child maybe 3 or 4 years old running through corn field (in style of old 8mm home movie) with radio announcer offering play by play of 1980 Moscow Olympics.
• Cut to child as a teenager. audio: starting pistol crowds cheering, child wins race. (in style of BETA Tape)
• Cut to teenager practicing just before daybreak, audio: coach yelling encouragement (in style of crisp video recording)
  
• Cut to older version of the same character losing qualifying for 2004 Olympics
• Cut to another before sunrise practice
• Cut to same character 30ish years old winning the qualifying for 2008 Olympics
• Cut to award ceremony at Beijing Olympics with an empty first place podium. audio: US Anthem, Voice Over: John Doe worked so hard to get here. How could we make him miss what could be his last chance at Gold.
• Cut to same scene with “John Doe” on podium receiving gold medal
• Voice over: Company D Giving our athletes a chance at Gold. logo on screen with tag line: “Proud patrons of sport and our athletes”

For the last proposal I would like to offer the idea of “Conquering evil”. This one might not make it past the I.O.C. advertising police.

• 60 sec.
• Opens with black and white film of the 1936 German Olympics.
• Continues with Hitler shouting his Racist rhetoric.
• Cut to Jessie Owens winning 100 meter run
• Cut to Jessie Owens receiving Gold medal.
  
• Cut to modern day. Protest clashes in Tibet.
  
• Cut to Asian American winning an Olympic event
• Cut to Asian American winning gold.
• Fade to black. Reversed headline: “Athletes can change the world”
• Fade in logo of company with tag line: “Supporting change.”
  
• Throughout commercial classical music plays no voice over.
  

I invite you to leave your comments. Offer your ideas for spinning the 2008 Olympic Games through advertising. Critic these ideas. Open a dialog.