Comments on: Go World?

By: L

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:47:30 +0000

I echo Ryan Brunsvold's comment completely.

Ads are something that I think most people tolerate and generally tune out. Yes everything would be better without advertising, I don't think anyone would dispute that....

How can we on the one hand argue about the expense of the event and then also complain about the corporate sponsorship that mitigated a large portion of the expense?

My experience of the games didn't involve much awareness of sponsorship at all really, I was too distracted by the incredible athletes and all the people in amazingly good spirits. I wonder if that's the difference between watching on tv and watching in person? Fortunately, the random high fives I got from strangers while walking down granville street didn't have any branding associated with them.

By: Roger

Roger — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:21:26 +0000

Asking why there are no Asian torch bearers is valid, though I don't think Jack Poole's wife had control over the photo selection.

What's troubling is the need to see oneself reflected racially in the book in order for it to be of value.

By: vicarious1

vicarious1 — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:10:27 +0000

Hi Eric,

Am I so annoyed, can I vent this here just as in news papers whereby they say, "write to us”? It’s just concerning the so called and widely advertised worldwide Vancouver Winter Olympics.

My partner is Chinese from PRC and he immigrated here. His young daughter applied to be a Torchbearer at the Olympics, but was not chosen. No harm done that was just unlucky we thought. So i decided jut to make her happy at a later stage it would be a great idea to buy her the photo book tracing the Olympic flame across Canada. The book is called “The path of northern lights”.

Well the book arrived this morning and wanting to surprise everyone i did not open it opting for the dad (my partner to do so).I was struck in awe as i realised that none of the torch bearers were Chinese or Asian. I honestly just want Mr John Furlong or Mrs Jack Poole to consider explaining or share their valuable opinion on how, the section of "communities coming together" in Vancouver can "forget" or intentionally not show the torch relay with a Chinese torch bearer in China Town BC Vancouver Canada! Especially last year’s popular Beijing Olympics?

Really what is it? I want to know what do any of you think, If I may ask bluntly, anyone care to share with me European Canadian how such things can happen in a country, city that wants itself to be knows as multicultural, welcoming, integrating and whatever other terms they put on these community oriented policies.

Is it stupidity or simple racism not to show any Chinese citizen of Vancouver carrying the torch through this most “coming together community" 400.000 strong in a city?

Naturally the book was looked at and discarded with a simple notion of dismay.

How can they have forgotten the flame passing China town, Granville road one of the highlights downtown where even the mayor was present? Sure I can tell you, it was perceived as pure racism and uncaring uneducated by the editorial and supervising staff of the Olympic committee towards the Vancouver and other Chinese communities in Canada.

http://visualsenses.smugmug.com/Vancouver-Olympics-2010

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:24:27 +0000

Excellent post Eric! I, too, find myself "outside looking in" many times while "everyone else" appears to be experiencing an event/emotion en masse. I sometimes wonder if I'm broken, but I think being "outside" helps us as designers to keep the big picture as our focus and to keep showing people what can be. If we were mired down in the en masse thoughts/experiences as everyone else, we could not do our jobs nearly as effectively.

By: Todd Sieling

Todd Sieling — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:06:55 +0000

This is really a fantastic post, Eric. I often find myself outside (sometimes cynically, sometimes just not getting it) episodes of mass sentiment, especially those with a nationalist bent.

I exited town for the games, knowing I wouldn't be into it and not wanting to be a dour presence in a sea of enthusiasm. I don't denigrate those who did have a good time, but I think it's worth asking whether anything so costly is worth the cost.

Before the games, a coworker and I did a thought experiment that imagined the Olympics' power to marshal public participation and resources towards philanthropic ends, touring from city to city to bring everything humanity could bring to solve a specific problem. Building sized banners advocating an end to homelessness, or a sustainable lifestyle, or an end to the mass violence of any war. That's an Olympics I could get into.

Again, great post; you should feel proud to have written it.

By: vicarious1

vicarious1 — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:58:00 +0000

Hey Eric. I sure not write as well as you do but enjoy your blog.
I felt much the same and must concur with much of what you say. I also do not own the "faved" mittens made in PRC. and I can't take the coke'nMac association with sport. I tried as much as I could "not" to place any of these Brand promo of it in my photos. ( not an easy task)
I think some of my pics will complement well your words for those who have not felt the double sided sword of " Pain&Joy" of being here and not of the upper crust who now returns from far places asking casually. Was it nice? Having a nice amount of $ on their bank accounts for renting their homes. Or simply making it a must "not" to mention the events they did try to ignore by going to far places.
Take the plunge see some of my galleries. A mixture of street ambiance and pure Sport made by a close friend of mine at
http://visualsenses.smugmug.com/Vancouver-Olympics-2010
maybe some may enjoy or at least get the feel matching all sorts of tell tell stories found on the net at this time.

By: Bryan Rees

Bryan Rees — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:41:10 +0000

Very well thought out as usual. I think I relate with you in that I notice the corporate 'wrappings' of the olympics a good bit, but I fear it's also mostly due to our profession.

I don't have any numbers to back it up, but I have to believe that a good majority of the experience surrounding the Olympic games is due to those same corporate sponsors we detest so much. So therefore the games really wouldn't be what they are without some form of corporate involvement.

I had a similar thought to yours about the 'message' that these sponsors provide for us and I have to say tho' that I actually LIKED the fact that they put aside their "We have the best card/coverage/taste" slogans and focused on the spirit of the games for a few weeks instead. Yes they get their logo at the end of the commercial or attached to the sign, but I see it as a necessary evil, if you will, and think it could be much worse in a way.

I agree tho' that it's sad that as human beings we need an event (i.e. Olympics, 9-11, etc.) to get us riled up about our countries and the love we feel for them. If we could bottle that love for our fellow citizens and release it at a much more controlled pace...I have to think the world would be a much better place because of it.

Thanks again for the inspiring thoughts.

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:39:21 +0000

During one of my trips through the red and white celebratory chaos, walking down Granville, surrounded by cheers and cow bells ringing, I overheard a little girl, about 7 years old cry out to her mom in excitement, "Mommy! Take a picture of me with the McDonalds!". I found the moment to be very poignant.

By: Cynisch - Wolf’s Little Store

Cynisch - Wolf’s Little Store — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:00:55 +0000

[...] blik op de Olympische winterspelen door Eric [...]

By: Ryan Brunsvold

Ryan Brunsvold — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:36:49 +0000

You bring up some excellent points but I must say I was expecting a different conclusion to your article. Specifically, the awareness of impermanence of advertising versus human achievement.

I know several people who remember watching Mary Lou Retton, or Carl Lewis, or countless others perform almost superhuman feats at the games, but no one who remembers the advertising campaign that sponsored the event.
I think @Kevin Cannon said it best when categorizing advertising as something sports fans "... put up with because they love the game."

Like you, I'm by no means an consistent consumer of sports of any kind (although I have been known to pay attention to SEC football now and then) but when I am around avid sports fans (and fans of the Olympics) I see the same pattern: Yes, they realize you can't swing your arm without hitting a Coke ad, but it just serves as something else they immediately tune out in order to focus even more intently on the action and personal stories.