The Olympic Games Effect: How Sports Marketing Builds Strong Brands (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Olympics are the quintessential athletic competition. But beyond athletics lies a network of investment, organization, and case studies in leadership. For sponsors, a key byproduct of these networks is a strong brand halo--the focus of John Davis' interesting new book. Davis brings a keen academic and business eye to the brand halo associated with the competition. And this book will be an important resource and practical guide for firms in evaluating Olympic sponsorship.
Glenn Hubbard
Dean and Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics
Columbia Business School

John Davis' new book provides a treasure of information to guide companies as they evaluate marketing in sports in general and the Olympics in particular. Highly constructive checklists throughout the book will help companies evaluate the potential of their sponsorship investments. And the coverage of the lows as wells as the highs of Olympic-related marketing reinforces the realism and credibility of this well-written book.
George Foster
Paul L. and Phyllis Wattis Professor of Management
Director of the Executive Program for Growing Companies
Stanford University Graduate School of Business

Interweaving history and economics with vignettes of heroes ancient and modern, John Davis illustrates how the Olympic Games have become the premier "heritage brand" in the era of experiential marketing. Differentiating and managing brands are perennial priorities for Marketing Science Institute's corporate sponsors. Davis details why so many have chosen to be major Olympic sponsors. Importantly, he provides a comprehensive checklist of questions to help other companies explore the potential and pitfalls of such sponsorships.
Earl L. Taylor, PhD
Chief Marketing Officer
Marketing Science Institute

This book is worth its weight in gold medals. Learn how Coca-Cola, Visa and other great companies took wing and flew to even greater success on the high power updraft of the Olympics. A must-read for any company wanting to become a top global brand.
Rod Beckstrom
Co-author, The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

John Davis' book brings to life the history and intricacies of the Olympic Games, and illustrates the best practices of sports marketing and sports sponsorship that are relevant in today's dynamic sports scene. This book deserves to be widely read.
Oon Jin Teik
Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Sports Council
Singapore Olympian, 23rd Olympic Games, 1984 Los Angeles, USA

From the Inside Flap

The Olympic Games attract fans from all over the world with a diverse range of interests, from a passionate love of sports, to fervent nationalism, to the thrill of athletic competition. This book explains and examines why companies vie to be Olympic sponsors and the tangible and intangible returns they reap for their investment.

Starting with a brief history of the Olympics, from the Ancient Greeks to now (including interesting parallels between the ancient and modern games), the author then shows why and how the Olympic Games have become one of the world’s most powerful brands, and the resulting impact for companies that are Olympic sponsors. The book also examines why cities, including Beijing in 2008, invest billions in hosting the Games. From tragedy to astounding success, the Olympics have been the source of some of the most important stories of our times. Readers are provided with a clear understanding of the traditions that have shaped this unique event, as well as the risks involved for stakeholders. Throughout, this compelling book offers invaluable lessons for companies considering almost any type of sports sponsorship investment.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (December 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470823666
• ISBN-13: 978-0470823668
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #746,109 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for All Marketers, September 22, 2008

By	David Lowe "brandgod" (Elk Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Using the Olympics as a backdrop, this book is a tremendous read for marketers of all types. From guerilla marketing tactics to big-company branding efforts, Davis covers it all. The book belongs on the shelf of any marketing professional, but not just to sit there. It will be used and referenced for years to come.

5.0 out of 5 stars Branding at it's best, September 21, 2008

By	Donald J. Skloss (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Even though they are removing baseball from the Olympics, John Davis' new book hits it out of the park. As only John can, he uses interesting and entertaining vignettes to illustrate his points about the brand halo. More importantly John provides a complete list of guidelines to help other companies understand the potential of Olympic sponsorship. Making this must read for anyone involved in developing a top global brand.