Sponsors Hone Their Green Games

Concerns are mounting that the Beijing 2008 Olympics could face a perfect storm of bad publicity. If so, how can corporate sponsors avoid getting drenched?

That is the billion-dollar question keeping public-relations experts busy as activists gear up to attack China on everything from its human-rights record at home and abroad to the quality of its toys and air. The scrutiny threatens to take what was originally seen by many multinationals as a certain PR bonanza -- a chance to attach themselves to the immense national pride surrounding the Olympics in the world's most promising market -- and turn it into a potential headache.

Already, some activist groups say they are broadening their attention from attacking China's government to targeting Olympic sponsors.

In letters sent last month to Olympic sponsors, Robert Menard, secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based group promoting global press freedom, warned: 'We plan to publicly challenge those companies that are participants in the Beijing Games without doing anything in the area of human rights. We will address their shareholders, their clients and the general public.'

Jill Savitt, director of Olympic Dream For Darfur, an activist group based in New York that is pressuring the Chinese government to use its influence to reduce armed conflict in Sudan, says the group is in the process of expanding its reach. 'This will only get more uncomfortable for organizers and sponsors,' she says. China has been under pressure because it has large investments in Sudan and is perceived to be using its influence to prevent United Nations intervention in the conflict.

In the next week, the group will release a report naming -- and attempting to pressure -- 19 Olympic corporate sponsors and the International Olympic Committee for their silence about China's support of the Sudanese government. (The group gave passing grades to only a few sponsors.) The Darfur activists are a force to be reckoned with: In the past year, pressure from such groups has prompted some 20 U.S. states and several universities, including Harvard University, to divest billions of dollars from companies linked to Sudan.

That is why, in response, PR executives are swinging into high gear as well. Companies operating in China are 'absolutely focused' on minimizing their potential exposure to issues such as Darfur and Tibet during the Olympics, says Richard Edelman, president and chief executive of Edelman Public Relations.

As Games veterans, 'Top sponsors are bracing themselves,' says Chris Renner, president of sports-marketing firm Helios Partners China, which advises a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, the official car sponsor. 'The bad PR stuff, it's inevitable.'

One strategy some companies appear to be adopting to insulate themselves is focusing on environmental projects in China, which have become a priority for a government increasingly concerned about environmental degradation. Indeed, several Olympic sponsors appear to be hoping to avoid the potential red flags by going green.

Coca-Cola Co. is playing up its water-conservation efforts on the Yangtze River and putting natural-refrigerant coolers and vending machines at all Olympic sites. Since March, Volkswagen has been planting thousands of trees in Inner Mongolia. General Electric Co. is touting its role selling eco-friendly products such as solar-power and water-filtration systems for the Olympic venues.

Given China's pollution problems, focusing on bettering the environment is a 'win-win' situation, says Mr. Edelman, whose firm's clients include GE and Coca-Cola. By concentrating on the environment, companies can show they are acting responsibly and score points with the Chinese government, while at the same time avoid such politically charged issues such as Taiwan or Darfur, PR executives say.

Another Olympic sponsor, Johnson & Johnson, is playing up its role as a good corporate citizen with a host of public-service-style ads offering health advice, while some others, such as Adidas AG and some Chinese sponsors, are basically hoping to avoid the issue by sticking to the message that the Games are about sports, not politics.

Scott Kronick, president of Ogilvy Public Relations China, which represents Adidas, says part of what is happening is that the government is using the Olympics to bring change to China. 'Of course, there is heightened degree of awareness that the eyes of the world will be on China,' says Mr. Kronick. 'I think the leadership quite genuinely knows the environmental situation has to change -- and if it's the Olympics or whatever that is the catalyst, then so be it.'

The high-wattage media glare of the Olympics has historically amped up controversy. The 2002 Salt Lake City Games were hit by issues of judging improprieties during figure-skating events, along with a bribery scandal, while the 2004 Athens Games notched more doping scandals than previous Games.

But experts say sponsors are more at risk during the Summer Games in Beijing, partly because of the record sponsorship fees, which total an estimated $1.5 billion, including more than $100 million from some individual companies who hope to tap China's booming markets. No sponsors have pulled out, and none is expected to do so because they have all signed agreements.

Sun Weide, spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, has urged that the Games not be politicized. 'We have to remember that the Olympics are a sports event, not a political corrective.'

But a range of issues -- from Darfur and Tibet to human-rights grievances within China -- are making close association with the Games potentially more risky, executives say.

The risks could be heightened by technology: Any attempt by the Chinese government to quash possible dissent and protests is likely to be caught and broadcast to millions via the Internet or cellphone cameras.

'It's like Lenin -- no -- Mao meets YouTube,' says Moises Naim, editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine, which is published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Dr. Naim says he knows several activist groups with definite action plans for the 2008 Olympics. 'It will certainly happen. I don't know the scale, but I do know there is intensive preparation.'

Some groups such say they are even considering calling for boycotts of sponsors' products, though few appear to have concrete plans at this point.

Sharon Hom, director of New York-based Human Rights in China, says the activists' efforts to generate controversy around the Games could be bolstered by the recent spate of China-made product recalls. Previously, getting American consumers to care about human rights in distant China was difficult, she says. 'But if you say the reason you are getting contaminated food and toys -- all of these things directly affecting you -- is because the Chinese government is not accountable, and transparent . . . I think that that link is going to be easier to make.'

Coca-Cola has struck up partnerships with at least some of these activist groups. In the past few years, the beverage giant has started an ambitious set of water-conservation initiatives in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. They have recently stepped up the China program. Among other things, the project has a five-year $20 million budget to improve the quantity and quality of water for local communities along seven river basins, including the Yangtze. The company is also working with Greenpeace on supplying environmentally friendly vending machines and refrigerators at Olympic sites.

Such projects aren't just green-washing ahead of the Olympics, says Greenpeace director Lo Sze Ping. The Olympic vending machines 'are just the first step,' says Mr. Lo. He hopes that the machines will lead Coke to globally phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants, which contribute to global warming, though the company hasn't set a timeline for this. Such a move could trigger an industrywide transformation, Greenpeace hopes. 'We're not being used. We're very careful working with Coke,' he says.

Coca-Cola spokeswoman Christina Lau says the Olympics is 'a way to step up our [environmental] initiatives,' but said the projects had long-standing goals that would continue past 2008.

For GE, Olympics sponsorship is still 'a large experiment,' says Steve Bertamini, GE's head of greater China. 'Cost remains an issue selling to China.'

The company has sold $300 million of products for the Games -- a fraction of its overall China sales of $5 billion. But the Beijing Olympics is a vital showcase for GE, which is vying for business supplying the Shanghai Expo and the Asian Games in Guangzhou, which will both be held in 2010.

It is too early to tell if these green initiatives will help keep sponsors clean in the eyes of American and other consumers. But it is a step in the right direction, Human Rights in China's Ms. Hom says in an email. Increasingly, Olympic sponsors 'are going to need to take serious steps to address this perfect storm brewing,' she says.

越来越多的人担心，2008年的北京奥运会可能要面对大量的负面报导。如果真是这样，各大奥运赞助商该如何避免被连累？

眼下，一些激进组织正摩拳擦掌地要在各种问题上向中国发难，从其在国内外的人权纪录到玩具和空气质量不一而足，这种局面要让公共关系专家们有得忙了，而且，这也会是几十亿美元的大生意。许多跨国公司本来将奥运会视为运作公共关系的好机会──它们可以就此在这个全世界最有潜力的市场将自己与围绕奥运会激发出的强烈的民族自豪感联系起来，但是，来自各方的审视却有可能将这个机会变成让他们头痛的事。

一些激进组织表示，他们将在批评中国政府之余把关注点扩大到奥运会赞助商。

总部位于巴黎的“记者无国界”(Reporters Without Borders)组织秘书长罗伯特·梅纳德(Robert Menard)在上个月写给奥运会赞助商的信中提醒说：我们计划向参与北京奥运会赞助活动、但在人权方面无所作为的公司发起公开挑战。我们会提醒他们的股东、客户以及普通大众。

纽约激进组织“达尔富尔奥运梦”(Olympic Dream For Darfur)在向中国政府施压，要求运用其影响力减少苏丹的武装冲突。该组织领导人吉尔·萨维特(Jill Savitt)说，他们正在扩大活动范围。“这将会让奥运会组织者和赞助商处境更糟，”她说。由于在苏丹有大量投资，且据信在运用其影响力阻止联合国介入当地冲突，中国一直受到外界指责。

该组织下周将发布报告，列出19家奥运会赞助商以及国际奥委会(IOC)的名字，并试图以此向它们施压，原因是他们对中国支持苏丹政府的行为无动于衷。(该组织只给少数几家赞助商打了“及格”分。）这些达尔富尔问题激进组织是一股不可忽视的力量：在过去一年中，来自这类组织的压力已促使美国大约20个州和包括哈佛大学在内的几间大学从与苏丹有关的公司那里撤走了数十亿美元。

也正因如此，公共关系人士纷纷迅速作出了反应。爱德曼国际公共关系公司(Edelman Public Relations)总裁兼首席执行长理查德·爱德曼说，在中国开展业务的公司“极其重视”在奥运会期间尽可能地不去跟与达尔富尔和西藏等问题扯上关系。

运动市场营销公司Helios Partners China总裁克里斯·雷内(Chris Renner)说，经验丰富的顶级奥运赞助商正在努力振作。负面的东西是不可避免的。Helios是奥运官方汽车赞助商大众汽车(Volkswagen AG)一家子公司的顾问。

一些公司似乎正在通过关心中国环保的策略来保护自己。中国政府自己对环境恶化越来越关注，建设环保项目已成为政府的优先议题。事实上，一些奥运会赞助商似乎寄希望于“披上绿装”来避免被“赤化”。

可口可乐公司(Coca-Cola)加强了保护长江流域水资源的行动，并在所有奥运场馆投放使用自然冷媒的冷柜和自动售货机。自今年3月以来，大众汽车开始在内蒙古大规模植树造林。通用电气(General Electric)则大力宣传其向奥运场馆销售的环保性产品，如太阳能和水净化系统。

爱德曼说，考虑到中国的污染问题，将重点放在改善环境方面是一种“双赢”。通用电气和可口可乐都是爱德曼所在公司的客户。公共关系专家说，这些公司关注环境问题可以传达出它们关注社会责任的讯息，在中国政府那里也能获得加分，同时也远离了一些带有政治色彩的话题，比如台湾问题和达尔富尔问题。

另一家奥运会赞助商强生公司(Johnson & Johnson)利用大量有关卫生建议的公益广告增强其“良好企业公民”的形象，而其他一些公司如阿迪达斯(Adidas AG)和一些中国赞助商为回避这个问题，更多地强调奥运乃体育活动、非关政治这样的信息。

阿迪达斯代理商奥美(中国）公共关系公司(Ogilvy Public Relations China)总裁斯科特·克罗尼克(Scott Kronick)说，现在的情况是政府在利用奥运会来改变一些状况。“当然，人们都深刻意识到，到时候全世界的眼睛都将关注中国，”克罗尼克说。“我觉得中国的领导层很明白必须改善环境。如果奥运会或者无论什么事件能成为一种催化剂，那何乐而不为呢。”

回顾历史不难发现，由于媒体的高强度关注，奥运会中一些具有争议性的事件都被放大并曝光在众人眼前了。例如2002年盐湖城冬奥会就受到花样滑冰裁判执法不公和受贿丑闻的困扰，而2004年雅典夏季奥运会的兴奋剂丑闻也要比往届奥运会都多。

但专家表示，赞助商在北京奥运会期间可能要冒更大的风险，原因之一就在于本届奥运会的赞助规模刷新了纪录；据估计，总金额有15亿美元之多，其中超过1亿美元是来自那些想在中国这个朝气蓬勃市场上一显身手的个体企业。到目前为止还没有赞助商退出，而且估计也不会有人这样做，因为他们都是签了协议的。

北京奥组委发言人孙维德呼吁不要将奥运会政治化。孙维德表示，应记住奥运会是一项体育赛事，而不是政治上的纠错会。

但管理人士表示，考虑到有苏丹达尔富尔、西藏以及人权等问题的存在，如果和北京奥运会走得很近则有可能面临更多的风险。

高科技手段会使风险更进一步。换句话说，中国政府任何打压异己的行为都可能会通过互联网或手机镜头暴露在亿万人眼前。

卡内基国际和平基金会(Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)旗下杂志《外交政策》(Foreign Policy)主编摩伊希斯·奈姆(Moises Naim)表示：“这就像是列宁，不，毛泽东遭遇了YouTube。”据奈姆透露，他知道有好几个激进团体专门针对2008年奥运会制定了行动计划。他说：“到时候肯定会有动作，我虽然不清楚活动规模有多大，但我知道这些团体正在紧锣密鼓地进行准备。”

有一些激进团体声称，他们甚至正在考虑发起抵制北京奥运会赞助商产品的活动，不过当前似乎还没有制定出什么具体方案。

总部设于纽约的中国人权(Human Rights in China)理事谭竟嫦(Sharon Hom)表示，最近发生的一系列中国产品召回事件可以作为激进组织在奥运会上大作文章的铺垫。她指出：“在过去，让美国消费者关心万里之外的中国人权状况是困难的，但是如果你能明白正是因为中国政府不负责任和管理不透明你的生活才会因有毒食品和玩具而受到直接影响的话，那么引起美国人的共鸣就变得容易了。”

可口可乐公司至少已经和这些激进组织中的几个建立了合作关系。在过去几年中，该公司与世界自然基金会(World Wildlife Fund)联手推出了一系列声势浩大的节水活动。最新它们在中国的节水项目加快了进展。在该项目的各种预算中，有一项是在五年内斥资2,000万美元来改善中国七大流域（包括长江）沿岸居民用水的水质和水量。可口可乐还与绿色和平组织(Greenpeace)合作在奥运场馆放置环保的自动贩卖机和冰箱。

绿色和平组织理事卢思骋表示，此类计划并不只是为了在奥运会之前将自己“漂绿”。放置奥运自动贩卖机“只是第一步”。他希望这些机器可以带动可口可乐在全球范围结束使用以含氢氟烃为制冷剂的冰箱，这种物质是导致全球变暖的罪魁祸首之一，但是可口可乐公司目前尚未制定相关的时间表。绿色和平组织希望此举可以带动整个行业做出转变。卢思骋称，绿色和平组织并非被利用，而是在非常用心地在和可口可乐合作。

可口可乐公司发言人Christina Lau表示，奥运会是给公司环保行动提速的方式之一，但这些项目都有长期目标，不会在2008年后就戛然而止。

通用电气公司大中华区董事长兼首席执行长庞德明(Steve Bertamini)表示，赞助奥运会对通用电气而言很大程度上只是一种尝试；在中国市场上搞销售，成本仍是一个问题。

到目前为止，北京奥运会已经给通用电气创造了3亿美元的销售收入；虽然这相对于公司每年在华50亿美元的销售额而言只是一小部分，但北京奥运会仍是通用电气展示自我的一个重要舞台，而且该公司现在还在争取成为2010年上海世博会(Shanghai Expo)和广州亚运会(Asian Games)的赞助商。

目前要判断这些环保行动能否让北京奥运会赞助商逃过美国和其他国家消费者的目光还为时过早。但谭竟嫦在一封电邮中表示，这是向正确方向迈出的一步。她指出，奥运赞助商需要认真地行动起来，应对这场酝酿中的风暴。

• 6小时掌握学英语的秘诀！——点击看答案
• 专治男女记不住单词的秘密