Two Years And Counting

Tuesday marks the two-years-out milestone for London 2012. Donning my marketing cap, I wrote a guest post for Edelman's global ConsumerActionism blog, highlighting some Olympic planning that's likely underway via TOP Olympic sponsors and those who might seek to ambush market to London Olympic audiences. Hope you'll check out the post and the range of other content on the Edelman (where I work) site.

Photo via London 2012/LOCOG, an Edelman client

C'est Magnifique, Both Sides Now, Hallelujah

What a day! Oh, what a night!

A couple of years ago it seemed Beijing delivered an untoppable Olympic Opening Ceremony. Tonight, Vancouver answered with a magnificent, moving evening, the memories of which I will always cherish.

So many moments. So much poetry, via spoken word and in motion.

And, what music! Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" brought tears to those in my party. Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado. The Aboriginal dance and Four Host Nations drumbeat. Nikki Yanofsky's rendition of "O Canada." Sara McLachlan -- brilliant! And finally k.d. lang singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" -- an astounding encore Olympic performance.

I am most grateful that my assigned seat (absolutely devine intervention and/or sheer luck) was in the section immediately to the right of the snowboarder, and later the Olympians', grand entrance, affording me numerous stops on the lower corner of the seating area, often staring up the tunnel at legends of the past and legends in the making.

Singer Anne Murray high-fived me with one hand while carrying the Olympic Flag with the other.

Donald Sutherland, who narrated much of the voice overs for the grand Canadian showcase was steps away, too.

Felt like I was walking into the stadium with Team USA (more high-fives, this time from Olympians marching to competition). Thought I was full-blood Canadian when their flag entered the arena.

In China's Opening Ceremony, a few thousand assigned drummers brought down the house. In Vancouver, more than 50,000 audience members got the pleasure of beating to their own drum (the audience participation kit itself was a clever cardboard drum set)

There have been plenty of "big moments" of pride working at Edelman, and witnessing our client, a Paralympic gold medalist who spent the last 25 years as the "Man In Motion" raising more than $200 million for spinal cord injury research, carrying the Olympic flame -- WOW -- to be even remotely connected to that and have the opportunity to work again at the Olympics is just unbelievable! I am so proud and thankful to be part of the Edelman team.

So happy to be at the Olympics again.

Living the dream. Go Canada Go!

Calm Before The Storm -- Peek Inside Our Office

Today in the Olympic city, the morning got off to a good start. My hotel is apparently the home of several Japanese media outlets starting to check in for Olympic reporting duties, and it was cool to visit with some of the new arrivals from Tokyo, Nagoya and other areas of the 1998 and 1964 Olympic host nation.

At work there are new arrivals, too. A colleague from Toronto is my new office neighbor, and we'll soon be roommates at a rented waterfront apartment a few blocks from B.C. Place.

Posting here, for the folks back home, a peek at the office and what will become a "war room" of sorts for our little P.R. enterprise during the Vancouver Olympics.

The photos also include a few tools of the trade (yes, now using two phones), my office (at least until the next wave of colleagues and clients arrives and we start sharing desks), the sofa where we may be crashing a night or two, and the giant spoon attached to the office key (all the newbies get to carry one for a few days).

Feast your eyes on the hot-off-the-press Edelman 2010 Olympic pin!

100 Days Out Brings Olympic P.R. Trifecta In

The 100 Days to Vancouver milestone marked a flurry of activity online and in the news. It was refreshing to see the Olympic headlines gaining prominence again in anticipation of the big B.C. party coming soon.

There was a party in my inbox as a handful of public relations agencies/contacts sent over their Olympic wares tied to 100 Days as well.

The first arrival was some detail from Polo Ralph Lauren regarding the newly unveiled Vancouver 2010 Closing Ceremony uniforms to be donned by Team USA in February. There's a complete line of Olympic gear from this official outfitter. According to their news:

"The Closing Ceremony Parade Uniform for both men and women are vintage-inspired and modern in design with a functional cotton fleece pant, a patriotic navy and red wool shawl cardigan, and a newsboy hat adorned with the “Look of the Team” logo adding a distinct feel of American spirit. Underneath the shawl cardigan, the women’s uniform will feature a classic navy ribbed turtleneck while the men’s uniform includes a traditional plaid shirt made of woven flannel. The men’s uniform also boasts a sophisticated tie featuring unique patriotic elements."

Looks good to me. Their nods to the 1932 Winter Games wear at Lake Placid is classy.

Perusing the Polo photos and models/Olympians, both on the Polo media site and on another Olympic blog (this one showing some merchandise that was part of the Rockefeller Center festivities for 100 Days), I must admit the gargantuan horse and rider RL logo was a bit much for my taste (as a Polo customer and fan since fifth grade -- my closet has many casual and semi-formal Ralph Lauren items -- I often wish their high quality and stylish products to be available sans logo).

But the 2010 logos will certainly show up on NBC Olympic broadcasts from Vancouver (remember the whole controversy of Michael Jordan wearing having to cover up his sponsor logos on the medal stand in Barcelona? Will that apply again in 2010?).

Sidebar: One of my uncles works in a movie set and design operation in Texas, and at one point in the late 1980/early 1990s he visited one or more of Mr. Lifschitz's (Ralph's) homes to complete some design work. Will have to check the facts on this family lore before revisiting the Ralph connection again in the future.

Next to arrive in the inbox was a nice note from the P.R. team for McDonald's, reminding me of their 2010 Vancouver Olympic contest for kids (just wrapped up entry phase) and the company's extended timeline of Olympic involvement. Per the press site:

"McDonald's Olympic Pride continues to shine throughout the host country of Canada and throughout the world. McDonald's is preparing for its eighth Games as the Official Restaurant and feeding the athletes. Plans are in place to share the excitement of the Games with millions of customers across the globe as a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement."

As noted in previous posts, my personal Olympic journey is intertwined with the Golden Arches all the way back to "When The U.S. Wins, You Win" in grade school and the Atlanta Olympic Village (1996) locations of McDonald's across Georgia Tech.

Suggestion for future Games: I'd be "Lovin' It" if McDonald's Vancouver 2010, London 2012, Sochi 2014 or Rio 2016 Happy Meals would include PINS rather than plastic toys.

Another in-box P.R. arrival was from one of my colleagues at Edelman, the firm where I work. Our client 24 Hour Fitness announced Wednesday the names of the athletes on deck for their Vancouver programs. According to the press release:

"[24 Hour Fitness'] partnership [includes] six U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls for the 2010 Games: Snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, pairs skater Rockne Brubaker, short track speedskater J.R. Celski, Paralympic skier Chris Devlin-Young, speedskater Tucker Fredricks and skier Julia Mancuso. The athletes joined Team 24 Hour Fitness as they strive toward making the 2010 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team and medaling this winter at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

It will be fun to witness how these and other athletes progress, work out, Tweet and shine before and during the Games of Vancouver.

As I wrap up this press release-infused post, it is worth noting that on the 100 Days milestone I also stumbled upon some P.R. gone bad. Apparently an embargoed** press release related to the torch relay struck a nerve with a reporter in Seattle. Call it Schadenfreude, but some of the comments are hilarious.

**offered/delivered to reporters in advance of publication date as a courtesy to aid with timely news delivery

Images via McDonald's, 24 Hour Fitness and Polo Ralph Lauren (Polo image is via Yahoo! News/Associated Press)

Mind Your Mentoring

In recent weeks, the topic of mentoring has been on the brain. At my desk at Edelman, work with our client PINK focused on the launch of this national outlet's "Minute Mentor" segments, which recipients of The Little PINK Book or anyone may access online.

Several mentors helped me on the journey from a high school student to an Atlanta public relations media supervisor. Two of these special people to me have an Olympic connection.

The following paragraphs include first names only because, unfortunately, some big gaps of time lapsed since the most recent contact with these mentors (committing here to get back in touch!).

The first professional mentor who accidentally earned that title is Leslie.

During the year building up to U.S. Olympic Festival '89 -- the Oklahoma City sports event where "it all started" (my hard core enthusiasm for the Olympics, that is) -- Leslie was the public relations director for the Festival organizing committee.

On my first day as a summer volunteer (at age 15, in 1988), Leslie assigned me some phone bank research and, I think, a media list project. Mundane, yes, but Leslie took the time to explain the importance of getting the facts and figures right, for the public (fellow volunteers and potential ticket buyers) and for reporters. She put the project into the context of shaping opinion about the Festival, and that made everything (including spell check by hand from a phone book) more important and interesting.

Several office projects later, Leslie got me working at one of the Festival's P.R. events. Seeing how it all came together -- the details, the food, the fancy business clothes, the media interest -- introduced me to P.R. She encouraged me, taught me, answered all the silly questions. My ego was boosted by some "Nick P.R." the committee embarked on for a volunteer contribution at the end of the summer. I was drunk on publicity and how it worked!

When school finally ended in the spring of 1989, I could hardly wait to get back to volunteering, and Leslie was there teaching how the media could be engaged on several fronts:

• Media stunts (100 volunteers parked Oklahoma-made GM cars in the shape of the OK89 logo for a photo opportunity)


• Media events (the statewide Olympic Torch Relay)


• Dedication ceremonies (the unveiling of a downtown Oklahoma City Olympic-themed statue)
  

These topics and pitching Festival "story angles" and "media relations" all entered my lexicon thanks to Leslie, who was the main organizing committee P.R. contact who worked with the U.S. Olympic Committee during the actual Festival (seeing the U.S.O.C.'s media operations for the Festival was eye-opening, to be sure -- especially in the pre-Fax, pre-Internet days!).

Leslie went on to work for a global energy company before starting a family, and she was an outstanding touchstone as my college degree du jour evolved from psychology to international relations and finally mass communications at Minnesota State University-Mankato (in those days, MSU stood only for Mankato State U. -- Sarah Palin would love it there, as the mascot was very Mavericky!). Though not often enough, I think of all the time Leslie took to care and listen. Hooray for my professional mentor, Leslie!

A shout out to another mentor of the U.S. Olympic Festival '89 experience: Mr. Clay Bennett! He certainly helped Oklahoma to fulfill the Festival's motto "Winning a Place in the World." (I will write more about Bennett in a separate, future post).

Another mentor in my life entered the scene in 1993, but neither of us knew she was destined for mentor status until the summer of 1994 at the U.S. Olympic Festival of St. Louis. Margaret was an executive on loan to the Festival organizing committee (I later learned she served many years as one of Monsanto's top female executives at a time when there were few to zero women above the glass ceiling).

Margaret was tough, but not one to take no for an answer. In our 15 x 20 office shared at the Washington University in St. Louis Olin Business School (built adjacent to the 1904 St. Louis Olympic venues), Margaret masterminded the best U.S. Olympic Festival Athlete Village in the history of the USOF.

When unexpected challenges came along, she found a solution, or taught our team how. She was outstanding at managing tons of data, hundreds of people (and their vast personality differences) and making things work. And she kept everything upbeat and low key, never letting anyone see her sweat (though there were plenty of times we were all up late sweating to get the Village ready).

After the Festival, Margaret was the touchstone of my later college and early career milestones, from landing two internships (the first with the U.S.O.C. intern program, the second at the Fleishman-Hillard home office), to a first-time full-time job with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. She also taught the importance of community involvement as her own career evolved into leading a nonprofit organization in St. Louis.

My thanks go out to Leslie and Margaret, and many other mentors who helped along the way.

Bird's Eye View of London 2012 Olympic Venues

During the recent Edelman sabbatical trip, my flight connection in London (on Aug. 10) took us over several of the 2012 Olympic venues, including the city's emerging Olympic Park and Olympic Stadium, as well as Wembley and a couple of other stadia I am still trying to identify (it was my first time over London).

The London 2012 Olympic website offers some interesting updates on the construction, and this site has an interactive map highlighting many of the other 2012 London Olympic venues on deck.

God Save The Queen!

Photos copyright 2009 by Nicholas Wolaver.

Munich 2018 Olympic Bid Interview

My employer, Edelman, offers some nice perks in appreciation of longtime employees. For one's 10th anniversary with the company, for example, a three-week paid sabbatical/holiday is bestowed. It sure was nice to hit the "official" anniversary earlier this year, and start with a blank slate for potential destinations for a holiday.

While beach time was on my mind, the No. 1 priority -- travel wise -- was easy to name: Munich. This is the city where, as they say, "it all began" for me, possibly in a literal sense as my parents were honeymooning in the 1972 Olympic City just before the Games, and I arrived on the scene nine months later (May 1973).

That's right ... I may be a Munich Olympic baby.

Since my high school days, and looking closely at some of my parents' photos from their own European adventure (including snapshots from their visit to the Olympic Tower in Munich), I had planned, and postponed, and planned again (and delayed ... again, several times repeated) trips to Bavaria. For the sabbatical, it seemed fitting to finally make it there.

Munich is amazing. I'll work to write about the many Olympic connections explored there -- most old (as in Vintage '72) and some new but inspired by the spirit of the XXth Olympiad at Munich.

Before looking to the past, I'm posting tonight about some potential future for Munich's Olympic legacy: specifically, the Munich 2018 Olympic Winter Games bid.

While in Germany, I took time to look up the Munich bid committee, which recently set up shop in an industrial park only a few hundred meters west of the vast Munich Olympiapark (well, it's probably more than a kilometer, but the Olympiastadion to the east is so vast, it seems closer).

With sincere thanks to the communications team and the Muenchen 2018's executive team, their office made time for me to sit down with Mr. Richard Adam, joint director of the Munich 2018 Bid Committee. The video with this post includes details on the Munich 2018 bid program, which is very new (the IOC process to select the 2018 host city has only just begun this summer).

It was surprising to learn Mr. Adams' candor about the 1972 Munich Olympic tragedy, and how many in the city, if not all of Germany, wish to write a new Olympic chapter for the region -- as a manner of moving on while remaining respectful to the victims from Sept. 5, 1972.

Some interesting notes from the Munich 2018 press kit and conversation (off camera) with Mr. Adam include:

• Katerina Witt, the figure skating Olympic champion, is the newly named chair of the Munich 2018 board of trustees. Witt's quote in a recent Munich 2018 press release states, "[The] Olympics have been a key feature in my life ... I have taken part in three Olympic Winter Games, and personally experienced the power of sports of bringing people together. This is why I support, with all my heart, the commitment to bringing the first Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to our reunited Germany."


• Munich's joint bid includes the 1936 Winter Olympic site, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Alpine village south of Munich -- they refer to this as a "two-cluster concept" for the bid, with the urban "Ice Cluster" in Munich (mostly at Olympiapark) and the "Snow Cluster" at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Sliding events (bobsleigh, skeleton and luge) would be held in Schonau am Koningssee in the Berchtesgadener Land (I am scrambling for an atlas). The medals plaza would be in Central Munich beside the Town Hall (see map at top of this post).


• A key component and plus for the bid is the sustainability tied to the '72 Olympiapark. Several venues there -- designed to last the ages (they have held up very well) -- have been "embraced over the decades [more] than any other Olympic facility and thus constitutes a major symbol of sustainability," according to the bid press kit.
  
• As in 1972, the athlete village and media centre would be adjacent to the Olympiapark, in new facilities to be converted to urban housing post-Games (the 1972 Olympic Village fulfilled its purpose as a very early "Green Games" construction project as the now-37-year-old Village is fully-occupied residential apartments covered with lush planters and trees growing out of several multi-level planters).

More information is available at http://www.muenchen2018.org/.

Images via http://www.muenchen2018.org/.

Spotlight Chicago

On Thursday in Chicago, a small delegation of International Olympic Committee members arrived for their Evaluation Commission visit to assess The Windy City's potential as the 2016 Summer Olympic Games host.

Both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times (and many other media outlets) have early reports on the IOC arrivals, including a photo gallery highlighting the IOC evaluators (for those reading in Atlanta, see if you can spot the former Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games ACOG executive in the Sun-Times' gallery -- hint: he has been in the "bid biz" since the late 1980s).

During the next few days, I will be volunteering with Chicago 2016 and Tweeting from the experience (twitter.com/nickwolaver) while posting on this blog as time and the scope of the volunteer assignment permits.

As I understand it, one of the "E.C." activities will be in progress as my afternoon United flight touches down at O'Hare -- the iconic John Hancock Center hosts a private sunset gathering in its newly refurbished Observatory from which guests can see four states and all of Chicago's magnificence (my girlfriend and I visited last summer and it is spectacular). (disclosure: the John Hancock Observatory is a client of Edelman, the P.R. firm where I work)

At least a couple of reports state that one Chicago "Big O" and our nation's "Big O" will meet with the world's "Big O" Games executives while they are in town. Oh, to be in the thick of Chicago's Olympic bid gives me big, oh ... um ... goosebumps.

Reminds me of this one time in Beijing when Chicago's Mayor Daley shared a few minutes in front of my Flip Camera to talk about the bid.

But seriously, the Olympic bid process is fascinating to me, and I hope to learn a bit more about the nuts and bolts of the effort while contributing to Chicago's Olympic bid team.

Anyone can volunteer or be a part of it with just a few clicks -- more than 1.1 million people already clicked their support, and many of them are following Chicago 2016 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/chi2016.

See you in the Second City!

He Ted, Not Jane

On the eve of travel to work at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008 in Orlando (er, actually it was just a couple of hours before the flight to Florida from Atlanta, on Nov. 14), the Atlanta Press Club hosted another great lunchtime event at downtown's Commerce Club just a few blocks from my desk at Edelman.

The guest of honor was one of my favorite fellow-Atlantans: The one and only Mr. Ted Turner. "The Mouth of the South" has a new book titled "Call Me Ted" which I've found to be an interesting read that filled in the blanks on several excerpts from another Turner biography of the mid-1990s titled "Citizen Turner" (sidebar: I picked up a copy of this book from a dumpster at Columbia University's School of Journalism, which was undergoing asbestos abatement while I was house sitting in Manhattan during October 1996, on post-Atlanta Games holiday -- by contrast, I paid the cover price for "Call Me Ted" and it is worth every penny).

Turner was on site with several members of his family (no sign of his former spouse, Jane Fonda, who was filmed for this blog just the week before Ted's press club engagement -- thanks again, G-CAPP, which wants you to know that three out of 10 girls in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before age 20 - see their other "fast facts" to learn more). There were also many current or former CNN employees in the audience, and Ted spent most of his time at the podium answering questions from the standing room crowd.

As shown on the video for this post, I posed an Olympic question to Mr. Turner that was only half-answered by "Citizen Turner" and escaped mention in "Call Me Ted." Paraphrasing here:

Mr. Turner, your book mentions milestones of your sailing career, but not your attempts to make the U.S. Olympic Sailing teams of the early 1960s (as noted in "Citizen Turner") -- can you please talk about any level of regret or recollections on the Olympic trials?

Turner's answer was very good (see video) and not entirely surprising, and he also kept on message about his book talking about his last days at AOL/Time Warner. Thank you, Mr. Turner, for answering my question.

Among many other memorable remarks of the event (reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in "PeachBuzz" the day after the lunch event) was the notion that Mr. Turner is looking for new friends (an audience member suggested he create a new reality TV show to recruit a few). I also loved Turner's answers to audience questions about CNN Headline News ("I can't watch it anymore"), President Bush and General Motors. Former CNN Chairman Tom Johnson's introductory remarks were outstanding as well.

One other remark that stuck with me was that Turner commented about litter and downtown, with sort of a "Give A Hoot: Don't Pollute!" Woodsy Owl tone. He explained that while walking through urban Atlanta he often takes time to pick up litter, and my impression was that he encourages his current team to do the same.

Since we are neighbors and he made a good point, since Nov. 14 I've taken a moment to pick up cans, discarded newsprint or other waste while walking to lunch at CNN Center or on MARTA, and it would be cool to see others do the same (that was, after all, an action that led me to that copy of "Citizen Turner" while exploring Columbia University back in the day).

I'd love to hear other reader feedback about "Call Me Ted" and hope folks will post their impressions of the text as a comment. Happy reading!

IAAPA Attractions Expo part 3

Last week, working with Edelman client International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008 in Orlando, we met some of the most creative people in the world of theme parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums, family entertainment centers, attractions and cool places where people have fun.

There were plenty of head-turning rides and inventions on site -- one that captivated attention was an import from Tokyo: The Management of Dr. Fish! You may have seen this one on the news back in the late summer -- minnow-sized fish (technically, they are carp) with tiny teeth that will devour your dead skin while you soak your feet, hands or whatever needs "treatment" by the Good Doctor.

Since it was obviously an opportunity to "carpe diem," I asked the management team whether they approached the Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid organization about their treatment (apparently Dr. Fish already has a massive following in Japan and their marketing materials at IAAPA state they had more than $2 million in sales as fish "spas" in and around Tokyo.

Unfortunately, my questions were likely "Lost in Translation" so the International Olympic Committee 2016 selection team and/or Tokyo 2016 teams will have to discover Dr. Fish on their own during a site visit to Japan.

In the meantime, you can check out Dr. Fish here on the video posted with this entry. My colleague, Rachel, took time to try out Dr. Fish with me -- the sensation of being gnawed by tiny carp was interesting (at first, much like having one's feet tickled with a feather followed -- all the while bringing up memories of that great fish film, "Pirhana").

If there are any venture capitalists or other investors out there, drop me a line ... I want to tell you about my business plan for a "Dr. Fish" spa and on-site "Circle of Life Sushi Restaurant."

Track 29 -- Great Shine!

Odds are good that if your older than 30 or live in Eastern Tennessee and North Georgia, you know the lyrics -- or at least the tune -- that goes, "Pardon me, boy. Is this the Chattanooga Choo Choo?"

My earliest recollection of this Big Band song is from somewhere around age five or six with a brief skit on "The Muppet Show" involving the song. The magic of YouTube made the memory complete a week or so ago, when my boss at Edelman mentioned we'd take a return road trip to Chattanooga to meet a few new contacts and learn more about the city (we visited the city often in 2007 for our client Rock City Gardens and invited media).

It was a delightful day, complete with gorgeous autumn hues in the North Georgia Mountains and outstanding views from all the great lookouts in Southeast Tennessee's growing city with a spirit of "The Little Engine That Could" (and as we learned from some great tour guides today, the ARE making things very special in Chattanooga).

We learned about the Bluff View Art District (which my girlfriend and I visited in 2006 -- it's very cool), stopped by the Hunter Museum of American Art (fabulous), and took in the shops and parks on the north shore of the river that cuts through town. All this was after a delicious local lunch at Niko's Southside Grill (I recommend the scallop appetizer and shrimp & grits) and great coffee and conversation at the Choo Choo site (thanks to our hosts!).

We even learned of Chattanooga's ties to the Olympics through gold medalist Joe Jacobi (I need to explore Jacobi's website and blog to learn more). Looking forward to return visits to Chattanooga -- Woo-Hoo!

Feeling Very Olympic Today

Games Day One. Spectacular!

Started the day at 7 a.m. with a taxi ride for first visit to the Olympic Green, which is grand central Olympic station north of the city. My colleague Paul and client Julie shared a cab to just east of the Bird's Nest, scene of the greatest Olympic Opening Ceremony of all time just eight hours prior.

Our mission: Find the McDonald's pavilion, host of the Around The Rings breakfast press event slated to include World Olympians Association President Richard Fosbury. Though this high jumping gold medalist had to jump to another event, the breakfast was no "flop." But before I get to why ...

The taxi driver tried his best, but just could not get us to the right stadium. I think we visited two other massive stadiums in Beijing before we spotted the Bird's Nest on the horizon. Then there were the races from security gate to gate, in search of "the other one" to provide access onto the Green. Where are those padded insoles when you need them most?

Turned out we were about a mile south of our destination by the time we got on the Green. Which brought the question: Hike? Or risk another cab ride into infinity?

We walked. Well, we sort of race-walked, past some of the largest Olympic venues and other buildings I have ever seen. And everything -- EVERYTHING -- is covered with the gorgeous "look of the Games" colors, flags and emblems.

After three screening areas, 45 minutes, litres of perspiration and a few choice words, we at last arrived at what had become to us "Xanadu" with Golden Arches. But no Fosbury!

But also, no worries. His replacements turned out to be very cool and very experienced in the WOA and the Olympic scene.

IOC Member Anita DeFrantz and Olympian (and former Atlanta Olympic Village Colleague) Willie Banks, now president of U.S. Olympians, were the guests of honor, and we noshed on McMuffins while they answered questions from Around The Rings and other attendees.

For Mr. Banks, I posed a question about the WOA's challenges to track down Olympians in remote nations. He answered with great information about the WOA's mission and how the organization is establishing chapters in National Olympic Committee affiliates.

For Ms. DeFrantz, my question related back to discussion of the previous evening: How is the IOC going to tackle the challenge of the time it takes more than 200 participating NOCs to enter the stadium (my suggestion, for anyone interested, is to keep the tradition of letting every participant encircle the stadium behind their flag, but to have two, three or even four simultaneous entry points so there are up to four NOCs announced at once). DeFrantz responded that the IOC has looked at the challenge and considered options, but it is a fine balance to switch traditions entrenched in the Olympic lexicon.

We had barely finished our last round of hash browns when we trekked to the Main Press Center (MPC), the left ventricle of the media heart of the Games (the right ventricle being the next door neighbor International Broadcast Center (IBC). With thanks to the Vancouver 2010 media relations team, our MPC Day Pass and tour helped me reconnect with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Social Butterfly reporter/blogger Jennifer Brett to compare notes on our Games experiences thus far (I suspect you can read about her afternoon cooking adventure in her blog).

The MPC is only steps from the Olympic Sponsor Village on the Green, but there is a Great Wall of China security fence between the two. So to solve the challenge: MORE walking! My girlfriend would be proud of all these hikes! For me, I just get tired!

We needed to check out a few of the sponsor pavilions that British Columbia's Premier will visit next week, and we were greeted by a smiling Edelman colleague and our client, GE, at GE's Imagination Center, which is absolutely fabulous (I'll write more on their pavilion in future entry when we return next week). We were hosted for a quick tour, then our walking adventure resumed to find the Olympic Green's newly opened train station to get us back home to City Center to prepare for our evening event at B.C. Canada Pavilion.

I've not written much yet on our media mission for the pavilion. In addition to working with all of Canada's media deployed for the Games, Edelman Beijing and yours truly have been busy inviting media to experience all that B.C. Canada Pavilion offers as a destination in the Olympic City. Tonight, the pavilion hosted its third consecutive VIP evening, and media were on site in droves, including new friends from the Vancouver Sun, The Province, Global TV, CTV, Associated Press TV and the Reuters IOC Writer, who mentioned he'd seen this blog and gave me one of the best pins of Beijing (the coveted Reuters China pin -- thanks, Karolos!).

So tonight I'm blogging with some post-media event bliss, and some Games euphoria setting in for a fortnight. Can only guess what tomorrow's adventures will bring, and can hardly wait!

Sites and Sounds of Day One

The first two days in Beijing were absolutely amazing. Sensory overload and sheer exhaustion mixed with elation to be at the Olympic host city and to get reacquainted with friends from past Games.

After a restful night and sumptuous breakfast (including pork dumplings!) at Novotel Peace Beijing, I spent a bit of the first morning in my room getting organized (packing back in Atlanta was a bit of a late-night whirlwind). But by noon on Day One, it was time to venture out across the city with Olympic credential in hand, braving Beijing's metro system.

The city subways are the best I've ever seen (at last, a "Metro" like the one imagined from the famous and totally awesome '80s hit by Berlin (that's the band Berlin). Every station is spotless and fussed over by a small army of security, maintenance and blue-shirted Games volunteers eager to help. The nearest station to our hotel is just four stops, including one transfer, from Tiananmen Square, and I'll always remember emerging from the underground to see Mao's Tomb in person for the first time, as well as a sea of tens of thousands of tourists spending time in the square (across a 12-lane street from the tomb).

T-Square's outer border (across other highway-like surface streets) is lined with massive sycamore and evergreen trees providing much needed shade. I stumbled into the first of three Olympic stores just before spotting my new work home for the next 28 days: British Columbia Canada Pavilion, the Games destination created by Edelman client, The Province of British Columbia.

After a quick tour and introductions in the Pavilion (which I will describe in much more detail in a future post), it was time to head over to Edelman's Beijing office, another metro ride. By this early evening time, my eyes were a bit blurry, so in the time spent looking up at the 40-or-so level tower that houses Edelman, I completely missed the iconic new (and gargantuan -- must-see-it-to-believe it!) CCTV Tower under construction behind me (the photo taken from Edelman Beijing is a bit dark, so hoping to snap a daytime shot later -- I was speechless when seeing it for the first time, overwhelmed and also stunned at the question to self, 'How did I miss that?!').

Everyone is so friendly here! From the volunteers to colleagues, street vendors to complete strangers, Beijing is about to burst with pride and excitement. I've captured many stares and curious looks from kids, but always with a smile and usually with an attempt at conversation (starting to pick up a few catch phrases ... for the folks back at Edelman Atlanta, none of these phrases qualify for the "curse word fundraising board" - yet).

I didn't make it out of the Edelman office that first night until about 11:30 (2330 hrs), which made for an intense search for a taxi. It was wonderful to rest and start the whole thing over again yesterday. More from Day Two to come in next post.

Touchdown

Atlanta. Milwaukee. Detroit. Tokyo. Beijing! Rocked 'em all during 24-hour-or-so commute to the Olympic city for a 10:30 p.m. (2230 hrs) touchdown last night. The Games are SO ... ON! Almost! Just eight days, according to be big countdown clock on Tiananmen Square. My big clock says "stop the abuse - please rest!" and I will oblige. But only after a tour of B.C. Canada Pavilion (just got here) and the Edelman Beijing office (later this afternoon).

Thanks to many people who responded to the Help A Reporter Out posting, I will have plenty of good information to share via future posts. Will start working through those soon. More photos and stories from the commute and first day very soon as well -- off and running!

Blame Canada

"You're going to China on vacation, right?!" was the question posed by a colleague.

Reply, with smile: "Not exactly!"

As a part deux of work that began in Torino in 2006, for 30 days I'll be in Beijing for a client of Edelman public relations, home for the last nine-and-a-half years of my career. As in Italy's northern metropolis, while in Beijing my host (and media relations assignment) is with client The Province of British Columbia, and more specifically B.C. Canada Pavilion (be sure to watch the video!).

In Torino, the Province built the hugely successfuly B.C. Canada Place "log cabin" on an urban piazza not far from the Shroud of Turin (the lines at B.C.C.P. were affectionately nicknamed "The Crowd of Turin"). In the Chinese capitol, the Province took over part of a museum adjacent to Tiananmen Square, and I'll be spending time with many of the Canadian friends met in 2006, as well as colleagues/friends from Edelman Vancouver and Edelman Beijing. B.C.C.P in China is one of several Olympic clients for the firm, most of which are part of Edelman Sports (we're just one big happy Edelman Olympic Family with several folks bound for the Olympic City).

The B.C.C.P. setup is a bit different for the summer Games, but I'm sure we'll find time to fit in a game of street hockey, and hopefully host some of Canada's favorite sons and daughters (shaking hands with Alanis, Celine, Leonard, Avril or Alex would be very interesting, but impossible to top Tom Green's visit in '06 -- no, this was not my video, but his appearance on The Tonight Show from the B.C.C.P. was hilarious yet not available online).

Our mission is to tell plenty of B.C. Stories and get business, tourists and Olympic fans to experience all the Province will offers before, during and after the 2010 Winter Games.

No vacation, but definitely a pleasure to be back in the company of red & white-clad friends.