Marketing: After a whistle-stop tour across Asia the flaming torch has finally arrived in Qatar.
Ready, steady, go... Qatar is all set for the beginning of the 15th Asian Games
And next week, after years of preparation and planning, athletes from 45 countries will be battling it out for gold in what will be the largest sporting event that Qatar has ever held the 15th Asian Games.
Some have questioned why Qatar is holding the games at all. Critics claim it won not for its sporting merits, but because of its impressive economic clout.
When it won the bid in 2000, for example, a spokesman for the Olympic Council of Malaysia labelled the decision "ridiculous". And multinational advertisers have largely stayed away. Samsung is the only non-Qatari headline sponsor.
Reservations aside, it's clear that right now there is a buzz in Qatar.
"We certainly all know that it's happening, that's for sure," says Anthony Ryman, managing director of Doha-based advertising agency, Grow.”
"The city's decked out with flags and banners. Sides of buildings are completely vamped with the look of the games. It looks really good. There are some giant advertising hoardings as well some of the biggest I've ever seen."
Sara Gourlay, general manager of Hill & Knowlton Qatar, says there's a huge sense of anticipation. H&K is handling public relations for two of the games' major sponsors Qtel and Samsung.”
"It's a bit like waiting to catch a plane for a much wanted holiday there's huge excitement about what's ahead, mixed with a little fear because really we don't know what to expect," she says.
The organising committee has done a good job of containing non-official public relations and news coverage, according to Gourlay, who adds that there have also been a fair amount of news stories that are related to the games, but which do not exploit them.
"A good example is the work H&K is doing with Weill-Cornell Medical College, Qatar, on healthcare for athletes," says Gourlay.
"We're not latching on to the games so much as hooking into the current national obsession."
Ryman has been impressed with the roll-out of banners and ads around town, but says more could have been done to promote the event in advance.
In particular, the games' mascot, 'Orry' the Oryx, should have been utilised more effectively.
"I think in terms of getting the word out they could have done more sooner," says Ryman.
"I would have put Orry out there much more. I'd like to have seen concession outlets for him in Bahrain airport or Dubai airport to spread the message. Perhaps some kind of animated TV series of Orry's exploits to spread the message across the Middle East. It's all a learning experience, however, and I'm sure once the sports begin it'll really take off."
According to Gourlay, visitors to Qatar cannot fail to appreciate that the amount of development taking place is impressive.
Work that Qtel has done to support the games will leave Qatar with a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure, she says.
A renewed focus on sport has also been generated thanks to the quality of the facilities that have been built.
"In my view, the real legacy of the games is a sense of renewed confidence in Qatar and Qatari accomplishments, and it will be really interesting to be a part of the next stage in Qatar's development," she adds.
"It's not going to suddenly put Doha on the map as a major player," adds Ryman.
"But it's a big step in the right direction for the roll-out of brand Qatar that's for sure."
There can be no doubt that Qatar will benefit from staging the competition. Just how much of an impression it leaves behind, only time will tell. |
