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I’m Doug Simon of D S Simon Media, and I just read Hill + Knowlton Strategies Global Health Lead, David Bowen’s article in PR Week about preparing for the coronavirus from the health care communications perspective. Now, the Olympics have 13 worldwide partners, hundreds of other brands engage in sponsorships at multiple levels including supporting specific teams. They have to be thinking these same things: what will be the effect of the coronavirus on the games and on their brand sponsorship? Dick Pound, who’s Vice President of the International Olympic Committee, says that the deadline for determining if the Olympics will move forward on schedule will be this May.

Brands who’ve already invested so much in these partnerships have to be thinking about the best path forward now. This is an issue for us as well. We’ve secured production capabilities in Tokyo for live broadcast satellite media towards either before or during the Games. But I really want to focus back on the sponsors. The number one thing they need to be communicating is their continued support of and commitment to the athletes. Whether the games move forward or not or reschedule they should use the period of training leading up to the Olympic trials to promote their participation and this commitment to the athletes.

While there may be uncertainty about the Olympic schedule there shouldn’t be uncertainty about whether the U.S. Olympic trials are held. Brand partners should be working with the U.S. Olympic Committee to make sure that happens. Just like in 1980 and that the athletes can get that once in a lifetime experience as well as brands gaining that promotion opportunity. Brands need to be thinking about moving up their Olympic promotions calendar to deal with the uncertainty caused by the virus.