From brand Oprah and Sydney to brand Commonwealth Games and India; some lessons to learn

30/09/2010: From brand Oprah and Sydney to brand Commonwealth Games and India; some lessons to learn. From the euphoria in the media last week celebrating Australian tourism's win in securing Oprah Winfrey's visit near Christmas, we move on to the debacle of the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

As a lover of the Indian continent (I travelled there with my backpack nearly 20 years ago) it is disappointing hearing of the trials and tribulations around the Commonwealth Games due to be held in Delhi. Last week I discussed Oprah's brand and the positivity around the events she will spark — but the games are not such a positive experience.

For us as business owners, beware — I can't help thinking there are many lessons to learn.

Just to recap, the 2010 games will be held in Delhi from October 3 to 14 and will be attended by approximately 7000 athletes and officials from 71 countries and territories. The brand the games represents the "effort to raise the bar of sport for all humanity". As with Oprah Winfrey and Australia, the attention drawn to the games, is a wonderful opportunity for India to shine on a global stage.

The Ten Network is providing free-to-air coverage and Foxtel has put together a package of additional free channels for subscribers. What an opportunity for the Indian culture, people and geographical beauty to reach new audiences!

But concerns have surfaced and been a hot topic for media. A recent poll in the Times of India showed 97 percent of respondents believed India's brand to be tarnished by the controversies leading up to the event.

Three Australian athletes have announced they will pull out due to security and health concerns. Scotland, Canada and New Zealand are delaying sending their athletes.

From the safety of the stadium, to concerns with the state of completion of the athletes' village, coupled with safety threats to the athletes, officials and spectators — it runs the risk of turning into a brand manager or promoter's nightmare.

Take heed, I say. We have lessons to learn.

• Preparation. The current situation has much to do with preparation or lack of it. India was awarded the games in 2003 but did not start preparing until 2008. The electrics and plumbing schedules are still way behind.

• Quality. It could also have something to do with quality and quality assurance monitoring. A footbridge connecting the village to the car park recently collapsed injuring more than 20 people and a ceiling collapsed in the weightlifting arena.  
• The increasing risk of social media negatively unhinging your brand. With so many people with cameras in their mobile phones able to upload images to social media sites, the world can gloat at images documenting the problems. We've seen everything from photos of unhygienic conditions in games buildings, to YouTube videos of stains from the workers spitting out chewed betel gum in seconds.  
• Security. There is reportedly an 80 percent chance of a terrorist attack occurring during the Commonwealth Games (haven't they said about many international events, eg: South Africa's FIFA World Cup?). Intelligence has been received that terrorists are planning to take international hostages. Spectators have been advised not to wear their countries' colours or display any patriotism as it may make them a target for terrorists.  
• Bad luck or lack of risk management. The Indian experience also bears the mark of bad luck or poor responsibility — an outbreak of dengue fever in Delhi has added to fears for the health of athletes and attendees.This got me thinking about risk management for the second time in a week. I spoke at the NSW chapter of the Risk Management Institute of Australia last week about the risks of social media — and here we are looking at a situation that looks like it was in dire need of a better plan and a risk mitigation strategy! For those of us, like me, who are not risk specialists, here are some of my tips.

There are six basic elements to the risk management process:

1. Establish the context.
2. Identify the risks.
3. Assess the probability and possible consequences of risks.
4. Develop strategies to mitigate these risks.
5. Monitor and review the outcomes.
6. Communicate and consult with the parties involved.

For those of us running our own businesses, Oprah, Delhi and the Commonwealth Games may seem far removed. But take heed, the lessons may be just as relevant for us!

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