The greatest group of athletes ever assembled into a team, in any sport, was a cultural phenomenon.
24 years after Barcelona, the 2016 Olympics needs a new Dream Team.
Another 12-member roster of star performers.
Not to compete in sport, but to save sport.
Saving the Olympic ideal of Olympism, in “building a better world through sport.”
IN FOUR MONTHS
This August, Rio de Janeiro will welcome athletes and visitors to the world’s first Olympic Games hosted in South America.
In selecting Rio as host city in 2009, the International Olympic Committee recognized needed remediation for issues such as water pollution, venue security, and infrastructure requirements lay ahead during the seven-year run-up to this year’s Games.
RIO'S CHALLENGES
Yet in the past seven years, Rio’s problems have compounded.
A shrinking Brazilian economy, national corruption scandals, and now the fear of the Zika virus — linked to microcephaly in newborns and to Gullain-Barré syndrome in adults — all add to a building unease.
Faced with these snowballing complications, what should the IOC do?
To those who are brand owners, with full understanding of the asset value of their market reputations, the answers should be obvious.
ADDRESSING RIO'S CHALLENGES
Guided by the Olympic promise of “a better world through sport…at the service of humanity,” the IOC must lead a genuine response to re-earn faith among athletes, fans, the people of Rio and the world.
The IOC may begin by mobilizing their currently in-place and underutilized Dream Team, this year as in 1992 consisting of a 12-member roster — 11 Worldwide Olympic Partners and the IOC USA broadcast partner.
With each team member enlisted for roles beyond the exercise of their exclusive marketing and broadcast rights to aid Rio and these Olympic Games.
The IOC has ready funds to lead this mobilization, a USD 100 million signing bonus paid by their USA broadcast partner, “to be used for the promotion of Olympism and…Olympic values between 2015 and 2020.”
DREAM TEAM IMPACT
For 2016 Dream Team members, each must be “coached” to play a team role, based on their respective declarations of social responsibility, such as:
Bridgestone guided by the Bridgestone Essense in cleaning Rio’s event waterways and beaches by recycling old tires, eliminating a source of mosquito-breeding pools.
Omega engaged in 12 social action projects in Rio, including creation of a specialized centre for the support of pregnant women and mothers.
P&G demonstrating their promise to protect the planet and improve people’s lives.
Dow Chemical Company, “connecting chemistry and innovation“ taking the lead on mosquito control.
GE’s healthcare group, with a GE executive serving on the IOC’s Medical and Scientific Commission, by accelerating Zika virus vaccine development efforts.
Atos’s Healthcare offering “fair, accurate and objective assessment of how [athletes, spectators and area residents] are affected by [their] health condition.”
Panasonic taking “…initiative in environmental activities to preserve our invaluable natural environment…”
McDonalds aiding families with Zika virus infected babies.
Samsung devoting "our talent and technology to...contribute to a better global society."
Visa “doing well by doing right” in refunding trips for pregnant travelers.
Coca-Cola with 10% of global revenues from Latin America, working “to refresh the [host city].”
NBC as USA broadcast partner, “…embrac[ing] the opportunity to…mobilize action to address some of the world's [and Rio’s] most critical issues.”
THE REPUTATION ASSET
With barely 130 days before the start of this year’s Olympic Games, will the IOC fulfill their noble-sounding “building a better world through sport” promise?
Or is this promise an empty one?
With athletes, fans, citizens of Rio de Janeiro and those of the world counting on the trustworthiness of this promise — and its fulfillment — one certainty is the reputation asset value of the Olympics and by association, 12 of the world’s leading enterprise brands, will be impacted.
Whether by growth in equity of the reputation asset.
Or loss.
