Many Chinese seem miffed that some of the antics of the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee have made front page news in the West.  For example, they don’t understand the reason for the attention paid to the decision to hide the face of Yang Peiyi, the girl who sang the Ode to the Motherland, while the apparently cuter Lin Miaoke lip-synced the lyrics.  They would do well to read Margaret Somerville’s “When picture-perfect is flawed” in Mercator Net.  Somerville, the Director of the Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law, at Canada’s prestigious McGill University, hits the nail on the head when she says   “Deception is the central issue involved and deception is always ethically suspect…. 

“The opening ceremony incidents might also have shocked us to a degree beyond what seems reasonable at first glance, because of their context: The deception contravened the very spirit of the Olympic Games — the inspiration generated by the gathering of the “youth of the world,” the noble aspirations, the no-cheating-with-drugs, “spirit of sport” ethos and its espoused values. It came across as cheating, as a breach of trust. Breaches of trust are often experienced as a betrayal; this was a betrayal of the Olympic spirit.”

 Somerville’s piece is worth the read.  Although an academic, her writing style is very accessible and, beyond the issue of BOCOG’s deception, speaks to all of us involved in public relations as we are confronted daily by choices that could leave our companies or clients looking very bad in the public eye.  As Somerville alludes, it is a fine line between perfection and authenticity and the choice needs to be made with considerable care. 

Caroline Overington’s blog at The Australian highlights the importance of staying on message, particularly in a crisis situation. In the post she refers to foreign media questioning a Chinese government spokesperson about a tank being parked outside the Olympic Media Centre, where many foreign journalists are working. Instead of leaving his response at “I don’t know who parked a tank outside”, the spokesperson went on to say “we must be protective” and, then, “I don’t think this is surprising in Beijing”.

Unfortunately, in all the detailed planning for the Olympics, the Chinese Government didn’t take into consideration that tanks on the streets of the host city and other over zealous security tactics would be surprising to many in the West. The Government is really shooting itself in the foot, figuratively speaking of course.

Article by Joseph Clayton*, reprinted with permission of the author.

August 11, 2008

My firm’s global network, PROI, recently convened in Beijing. I learned the following lesson: Before we can develop successful communications programs in China, we have to learn to do business the Chinese way. The country’s history and culture make this a daunting - but rewarding - prospect for any Westerner.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve always wanted to be reported on by Fox Sports, and I’ve made it. Regrettably, though, they didn’t cover my athletic prowess during these Beijing Olympic Games. Instead, The Australian’s Beijing Correspondent, Rowan Callick, picked up on a previous post of mine entitled The Olympics we had to have. Callick interviewed me and several other Australian and western businessmen yesterday to draft his story that reaches the same conclusion.

Flags to wave, but no fun

Indeed, these Games are no fun; and not just for business. They are no fun even for the average Beijinger. And that is exactly the way the authorities want it.

Read the rest of this entry »