When World Expo 2010 in Shanghai held its closing performances, parades and forums on October 31, it was the final chapter of a very exciting year filled with global events for us. We were fortunate to participate in the Vancouver Winter Olympics, the South African World Cup and the Shanghai World Expo, beginning in February and ending about a month ago. 98.2 million people attended these three events and all three set records for media coverage worldwide. Hardly a person on the planet missed seeing or hearing about one or more of these events and our business of communication is at the heart of that experience.
The host committees sought our communications and sponsorship strategies and crisis communications counsel and that made for some interesting encounters and creative problem-solving which I have written about in earlier messages. Noteworthy to me is that each of the hosts had very specific objectives to realize from their investments, which totaled in the billions. Vancouver sought tourism. South Africa wanted the world’s appreciation. Shanghai wanted business partners. In my mind, all three achieved their goals.
The series of events that brought us to these world-class happenings began three years ago with a sponsorship summit in Shanghai. It was clear to me then that China does not want to do business alone. They want to collaborate. They want to grow with the help of others. This year they became the world’s largest economy. That’s no accident. The Expo attracted 246 countries and organizations and that is quite a buffet of opportunity.
Contacts we have made over three decades working abroad have led us to many corners of the globe. The Shanghai Summit brought us to the attention of the Beijing Olympics and many of the organizers there were involved in the prep for the World Expo. Olympic contacts we made also opened the door to the Vancouver event. Working in these circles makes for long plane rides on short schedules but decisions are made quickly and you move on to the next subject or issue. There is not much time for contemplation.
73 million people attended the World Expo. Shanghai’s population is 20 million and the drive market around the city is almost twice that number. Like all three of the global events we worked on this year, there are many foreign visitors but most of the attendance comes from the surrounding area. Two things impressed me about this World Expo. First, I’m sorry to say that the US pavilion was a bit embarrassing. I’ve heard stories about the bureaucratic starts and stops and lack of funding, but the experience boiled down to watching a bunch of promotional videos from brand name companies. How disappointing. There were indeed some amazingly interactive experiences to be had at the event. It’s just too bad that none of them were associated with our country.
Secondly, China’s young people are making a great impression on the world. In all the events I’ve been involved with over there, “interns” abound. They are both interesting and interested. They have learned English in school and are making themselves very valuable to business. China’s young are becoming the best ambassadors for that country. Universities are overflowing with talent and the West is benefitting from it.
As we come to the end of our “Big Event” year, it’s important to note that, despite the travails of the world economy, life goes on. Both in business and our personal lives, we continue to move ahead, making advances where we can. Predictions and forecasts aside, this is still a time of great change and opportunity. Communication Technology is an ever-increasing part of our lives and it applies to all aspects, from business to culture, sport and education. We’re on an exciting ride right now. We need to hang on and keep going. I’m looking forward to what’s coming up. We’re already working on projects next year and beyond. I can hardly wait.
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