Today's Wall Street Journal (see article, below) reported that a global advertising firm's handiwork has been found on both sides of the Olympic fence for the upcoming games in Beijing. TBWA Worldwide's China office produced an ad campaign for Olympic sponsor Adidas, which gloriously portrays Chinese people in support of its athletes in an unambiguous show of national unity. At the same time, its Paris office created an ad for Amnesty International depicting a person in front of an archery target with the caption: "After the Olympic Games, the fight for human rights must go on." Although Amnesty decided weeks ago to pull its ad, it is astounding that a leading multinational ad agency could find itself on both sides of a very public and delicate issue, especially considering the recent -- and white-hot -- attention given to China's ongoing human rights controversies.
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121598805607649301.html?mod=hps_us_inside_today
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I think the use of the Olympics to make political statements is getting out of hand. When someone at a Worldwide company (TBWA) finds it necessary to publish ads so hypocritical and controversial, then something should be done. However, I do not believe the Olympics is the place, nor the time, to make these statements (especially by large companies). Obviously China, in some way, deserves to host the Olympics if the IOC voted to make China this year's host. There is no denying the issues at hand are important and should be addressed but Amnesty made the right decision pulling their ad and TWBA (all of its locations) should think twice before delivering so many different messages.
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