Any soft drink you want as long as it's...

The Economist reports that China is doing everything to ensure that no ambush marketing attempts succeed at the Beijing Olympics. For the next month or so all prominent advertising sites in Beijing will be available only to official sponsors; athletes can't drink anything of their own choice while in the Games village; spectators will be screened for unofficial food, drink or clothing; and if any make it through, TV broadcasters will not show a close up.

While some of the big brands seem to be making their share of mistakes and finally figuring their way around social media, it seems that they think (or hope) that the lessons learnt are applicable within the limited sphere of social media.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Everything that's expected in social media - transparency, seeking influence, eschewing control - is first and foremost expected of brands (and people) in real life. Social media is not an exceptional case where these approaches work - and their use isn't only limited there.

Which only goes to show that while brands will talk the talk about social media, they will walk the walk only where its convenient or where they have no choice.

And for the latter to happen, it only takes a few wily ambush marketing tactics to prick the inflated sponsorship bubble. Here's hoping for those - and for an Olympics where one's free to carry whatever drink one chooses. 

Comments

[manuscrypts]

1.

which leads to an interesting question - will reality overwhelm social media, or will social media convert reality? co-existence seems to be getting more difficult!!

[James]

2.

How many athletes do you suppose will be eating a Big Mac (since McDonald's is the official food sponsor) before their event?

My guess: not a single one. World-class performances from athletes who have trained for years to get to the Olympics are not fueled by crap.

I foresee a lot of blacked out bags, bottle and packages to reconcile the reality of athletes choices with the demands of corporate patrons.

[blaiq]

3.

@Manuscrypts: Make no mistake, mainstream media is the aberration. Reality and social media will end its rule - it will survive though, but not as the biggest gorilla in town.

@James: Blacked out bags mean suppression of good information, a principle on which most of mainstream marketing is based on.