We’ve all heard the old Confucian curse, “May you live in interesting times.” Are they getting interesting enough for you?
Brands across the globe are developing new coping skills for our brave new post-Sept. 11, post-Mar. 11 world. As Associate Editor Tim Parry discusses in his cover story, even events celebrating international unity (perhaps especially these events), of which there is no better example than the Olympic Games, are vulnerable to attack. He spoke with dozens of brand managers, broadcasters and consultants for this feature story (see p. 34), and while none have published plans to pull out of the Athens events, most admitted to at least a thread of worry about risks to their employees, their guests and their brands.
In and of itself, that subtle but insidious seed of concern and doubt could undermine both the Games and the civilizations that participate in them. And the threat goes far beyond Athens. We no sooner put the Olympics story to bed than we began hearing new reports of smaller-scale terrorist plots targeting malls and shopping centers in Ohio and other parts of the American Midwest. Now retailers and planners are on notice that they must add new security components to their venues and events.
But somehow, civilization keeps reviving. Notice that, while our airplanes and then trains were horrifically attacked, just three years later business and consumer traffic has returned to the skies in numbers even with those prior to 2001. Notice that, despite viruses and worms, we still keep communicating by e-mail. Notice, as Parry points out, that while the Olympics has weathered threats and attacks before, it still is the international gathering beyond comparison with any other event. We say bravo to the athletes and their coaches, and bravo to their sponsors.
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