There are 5 million bicycles in Beijing.... And one Jackie Chan.

Today's travels took your fliers to...

Meet Mr Diamond Tai - MD of Kinetic Worldwide China
Meet Mr Jeremy Sy - Head of Planning TBWA China
See the world's largest Adidas store (and the most amazing 3d product display)
See the world's largest outdoor screen* - one of 65 to bring the Olympics to the people
See the Beijing workers stadium - where the football will be held
See the Beijing workers gymnasium - where the indoor games will be held

Detail below, but a little spot competition - best insight, comment, etc. gets something from the 'heart' of Beijing.

Mr Diamond Tai...

Diamond run's Kinetic - by billings, China's number one outdoor media buying agency, with 100+ clients including Beijing 08 sponsors and 'hi-jack' brands.

Unsurprisingly, non-Olympic brands spent heavily before the black out period, using athletes to associate themselves with the Games. Some have also broken the ban, putting up one day executions. We'd expect that this would be impossible at the London games...

Of the Olympic brands, he's really noticed Coke ramping up spending - looking to dominate city travel routes.

He really highlighted the clutter around the landscape, with many different brands competing for a small expensive inventory. Plus, worryingly for international brands, the best outdoor spots in Beijing are decided more with a wink and nod than the more traditional contract route.

Mr Jeremy Sy...

As head of planning for TBWA China, Jeremy oversaw the agencies efforts with two TOP sponsor: Adidas and McDonalds.

Here's what we talked about:-

1. there are 60 sponsors at the Beijing games (each allowed to communicate their sponsorship)
2. the same 3-4 athletes are being used by each sponsor
3. outdoor has gone up 100% in cost and the city pruned outdoor sites in the build up to the games
4. most sponsorship is directed at the domestic audience, however leader brands have shifted to an international audience
5. the whole messaging/brands were all very cluttered, in his view there was a degree of 'brand fade' - where many brands went out with a similar message and thus are not apparent
6. little experiential is allowesd - China is nervous re the "T" word and using a rule of no more than 5 to congregate together at public events.
7. China, and Beijing to a lesser extent has had trouble engaging people with the Olympics. In a land of 1.3 B and a city of 10M how do you excite people with the games when, for them it could be happening anywhere.
8. No sponsors have tried to align themselves with the themes of the games (and that these are confusing, unbelievable and perhaps not working)
9. Adidas' platform - one of connecting the athletes to the the people (a factor he saw being missed out on the other campaigns around)
10. Beijing's 08 advertising has been up for the last year and as such is no longer creating any internal excitement.
11. The best sponsors got their advertising out and made their positions know early.

The worlds biggest addidas store...


With no ability to do experiential, this is clearly a massive opportunity for Adidas to connect with the many people coming through its doors everyday. On entry you're confronted with a high-tech 3D holographic display and a number of clever digital screens connecting the Games, to the sportsware.

The worlds largest outdoor screen*...


Very large, Coke sponsor acitivty being built below.

Massive and growing and perhaps one for any future teams who go out to Beijing to take a look at once complete.


*According to to Jeremy

The stadiums....

Nothing great going outside these. A little sponsor acitivity visible inside, however not much going on outside. We're hoping for more from tomorrow's destinations:

The Olympic Village
The Birds nest stadium
Team GB lodge
The Olympic green

Tired and out, love the team. xx