The $40 Billion Question: How Much Were Olympics Worth to China's 'Brand'?
Did the Beijing Olympics promote Brand China? Perhaps not enough to justify a $40 billion price tag.
In a survey released this month ranking brand value of countries, the world's most populous nation ranked 56th out of 78 countries, despite its high-profile role as Olympic host. According to the survey by consulting firm Futurebrand, which is part of the Interpublic Group, China's country brand shows 'a low level of maturity,' with only 29% of global respondents rating the nation as 'excellent' or 'very good' overall.
The firmed surveyed 2,700 frequent business and leisure travelers from nine countries to assess the nations across 30 different categories on qualities such as culture, infrastructure, standard of living and political freedom. Australia, Canada and USA were the top ranked countries.
China spent about $40 billion in Olympic preparations, a price-tag that included huge infrastructure investments. It topped the gold medal tally and mounted an impressive opening ceremony that successive Olympic host cities will find hard to match. But the Beijing Olympics also generated a storm of controversy, including a world-wide torch relay peppered with protests.
The Futurebrand survey did toss China a bone. The country beat out United Arab Emirates to place first in a category called 'Most Impressive Last Year' given to the country with the 'most noteworthy performances.' |
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