The PR wheels carrying the Beijing Olympics appear to have completely fallen off. Since I first blogged about China’s communication struggles surrounding the Summer Games, things have gotten progressively worse.
Just this week, the IOC president stated the Olympics was in crisis, the torch relays were disasters and the list of international leaders boycotting the opening ceremonies continues to grow.
The headlines say it all:
- China’s “unfolding public relations disaster”, SF Chronicle
- Torch relay a ‘public relations nightmare’, CNN
- Monks Disrupt Media Tour in China, New York Times
- Public relations nightmare on horizon, Denver Post
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How could China have been caught by surprise on this one? Tibet has been a simmering issue for decades in the West. And China signed up to have the media spotlight burn down on them by bidding for the Games. So who was handling the PR strategy on this one?
It turns out – no one really. Imagine my shock when I read a UPI report that China is currently looking for PR help. What? They waited this long?
“A number of U.S. and British agencies have been asked to meet with Chinese officials to talk about the job, including public relations strategies to be used before the games, media background and market analysis on how China is perceived in the West, the report said. China has yet to announce its agency choice.”
