When Coca-Cola executives met with the Beijing Olympic Committee in 2002 for a status report on the first anniversary of the city’s winning bid, China was Coke’s sixth largest market. Today, a year away from opening ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, China has moved to No. 4 — and is still growing.

(It is no part of this editorial to discuss the health effects of Coke consumption and whether such a product should be associated with an important sporting event of world stature.)

Per capita consumption in China has grown as follows.

2002: 10; 2003: 12; 2004: 15; 2005: 18; 2006: 20

Coke’s sponsorship of the Games is a key component of the company’s global sports marketing program. Coke wishes to push its 200 brands deeper into consumers’ consciousness.

Paul Etchells, deputy group president for Coca-Cola Pacific, said, ‘This will be the biggest Olympics ever as well, I think, in terms of almost any measure. The number of athletes, the number of spectators, the number of media people who are forecast to come to China during the games.

We talk about the legacies in relation to the Olympics. In other words, what is it about our Olympics activation that’s going to survive the Olympics and is going to make a difference beyond August 2008. And the principal legacy has got to be the consumer view of our brands.

‘There are a very large number of outlets and it’s a three-week window during which these outlets are open and you have to ensure that you are up and running by the opening of the Olympics and that the execution during the Olympics is flawless. You realize there is a very large behind-the-scenes element in terms of the logistics . . . You visage immediately selling products to consumers, to spectators, but you have to provide products to the whole Olympic family — all the athletes, all the team managers, etc. So, a very large number of people, quite a complex logistics exercise.’

The mind boggles.
Source: AJC

A survey has shown next year’s Beijing Olympics have improved employment expectations in the media, public relations and advertising sectors in Shanghai and beyond.

Hudson, an international recruitment and human resources services provider, said some tow thirds of the companies interviewed that worked in these fields in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan interviewed, said they would increase their hiring because of the Games.

Angie Eagan, general manager of Hudson Shanghai, told China Daily that the closer Olympics Games come to happening, the higher the expectations.

She said, ‘Much of this growth is driven by the demand for Olympics-related marketing and publicity projects, which are now moving into the implementation phase.’

Kellie Grimsley, managing consultant in advertising and communications at the company, said that with the Games approaching, sponsors, both international and local, are looking to get the most out of their sponsorship dollars.

The growth in these sectors is mainly in China. But as many companies in these fields are headquartered in Japan and Singapore, the recruitment push has moved beyond national borders.

New media, such as digital and interactive advertising, which have been expanding rapidly, have the strongest demand for experienced candidates.

Kellie Grimsley said, ‘Brands are now looking to leverage their marketing campaigns through multiple channels, such as online, digital and mobile platforms. But there is still a shortage of qualified talents who can understand the new marketing platforms.’

Our illustration is of a person who has apparently had his body tattooed with Olympic pictograms. It is not clearly known what area of employment he currently seeks.

Zhu Qingyang, secretary general of the Shanghai Human Resources Consulting Association, said the Olympics is not the only major event reflecting the city’s economic strength and creating job opportunities.

He said, with great truth, ‘The World Expo Shanghai 2010 is also bringing more and more job opportunities too.’ At the moment the Olympics over-shadow the World Expo but shortly after the Olympics finish, interest in the World Expo will boom.
Source: China Daily View

Consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) believes the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will boost the advertising market by more than 20%.

PwC said in its global entertainment and media industry outlook for 2007 to 2011 that the Chinese advertising market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 15% to $22 billion by 2011, about half of the size of the Japanese market.

However, the growth this year and the next year will be over 20%, as advertising clients increase spending.

Note that this is an informed projection, not certain facts. Consultants make the best guess on available data projections and they should be treated as such. And any company the spells its own name in such a damn silly way should be ashamed of itself.

Grace Tang, assurance partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ entertainment and media practice, said, ‘Advertising spending related to the Beijing Olympic Games is expected to grow in double-digits in 2007 with another jump in 2008, and this growth will be visible across all media delivery platforms including print, radio and television.’

GroupM, a media ad buying agency under the WPP Group, gave an even bolder prediction — 29% growth in advertising spending in 2008.

Digital media, mainly on the Internet, will double to $2.2 billion in two years. TV advertising will continue dominating the market with 70% market share, while newspapers’ share will fall from 15% in 2006 to 11% in 2008. All of which is, of course, an estimate.
Source: China View