"gotta spend money, to make money" - Coined by someone
Not always a 100% thing, but the recent Winter Olympic Games went a long way in validating that statement. Case in points follow next.
Owning it
Wishing to wipe away past failures as the hosting nation, the COC (Canadian Olympic Committee) put together what is the now famous "Own the Podium" program. Basically, the program was a calculated investment in development of Canadian athletics and to produce a handsome medal haul. What did it get 'em? 5 Years after the program inception, OTP yielded some very good results - 13 Golds. That's 13 more than Canada ever pulled in the 2 previously hosted games. Only cost the COC $118 Million CAD, and eternal angst of housing for the homeless advocates and Indigenous Canadian citizens. Another day, another story.
Point: Solid return on a solid investment. The COC has pumped in the cash and with it their outlay, has pushed Athletic achievement and Olympic pageantry to the next level. See what ya got in 2014 Sochi.
Red White; Shaun Bull - Corporate glory
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| Shaun White Olympics 2010 Associated Press |
You don't have to know snowboarding to know the name Shaun White. All you had to do was turn on any talk-show recently, and there he was in all his Olympic glory.
You don't have to know snowboarding to know what a double-cork 10 is. USA Today interactive media (!!!) has got that covered for everyone in cyberland.
You don't have to know snowboarding to know that the sport has become as corporate and mainstream as it gets. Think of the 90's and "Grunge Rock". Out of a sub-culture and into the 1000 mega-watt mainstream spotlight. Good thing? Bad thing? Another day, another story.
Point: Corporate sponsors and entities need their medium, and they're definitely taking snowboarding for the ride. Within the latest and hottest winter ticket, is the Red Tomato himself. Pardon the pun, but his Star is White-hot. Reaping the benefit of being associated to White, is Burton and Red Bull. Red Bull, a brand that is known for pushing limits, hooks up with Shaun on an Apple-esque promo spot about pushing snowboarding progression to the next level with Project X. Investing X millions into this project, the resulting escalation in future marketing ploys will be something to watch for.
JP
