The Olympic Torch came to Wells, Somerset, today and attracted quite a crowd, including all these people waiting expectantly on Cathedral Green. I hadn't intended to go (honest) but the glorious weather proved too much for me - and here are some pictures and a video taken by mistake on an iPhone with a screen that's more or less invisible on a sunny day.
I suppose someone has to pay for it all, but I hadn't expected to see specially designed chariots advertising Coca Cola and Samsung coming into Sadler Street a few minutes before the torch itself:
Then, when the moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived, I hadn't expected the torch bearer still to be wearing his pyjamas. Nor had I expected the honour of carrying the torch to be given to someone who looked about as keen on running as I am...
1 comment:
The Olympics are an inspiration to us all.
Churches, to take just one example, could follow the IOC's lead, letting someone with a banner advertising Pepsi precede the thurifer in the procession on special occasions. They could sell naming rights for holidays (e.g. "Christmas, brought to you by the Prudential Assurance Company, Ltd") or for particular churches. (Imagine how much they could get for the naming rights to Westminster Abbey.)
And think of what politicians could do with a bit of creativity.
The President could give the State of the Union Address standing in front of a banner emblazoned with the GE logo and slogan, "imagination at work."
I mean no disrespect when I suggest that the Queen's speech during the State Opening of Parliament is an untapped source of both corporate exposure and enhanced state revenues.
The IOC is an amateur compared to the backers of the Super Bowl in the US. They secure sponsors (giving them naming rights) for everything from the coin toss to the half-time show to the post-game recap.
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