[Bell Historians] Re: olympics

[Robert Lewis]

At 22:07 05/02/2012, Richard wrote:

>Fairly obvious I would have said. The Olympic authorities will have 
>a very carefully thought out press strategy which will involve a 
>number of media 'teasers', followed by unveiling the whole format 
>for the opening ceremony when they judge the time is right.


I would like to believe that - but I'm really not so sure.

My dealings with the Olympic PR people, so far, suggest that
they are either not communicating properly internally (i.e. the
PR arm doesn't know what the Planning arm or Artistic arm
is doing) or their plan for releasing information is a bit shoddy
and clueless.

If they had been doing their job properly they would have
anticipated questions about where the bell was actually being cast
and come up with a formula that would at least have told people
that this information would be released at a designated time in the near term.
My personal impression was that the PR man really didn't have a clue.

It must also have caused Whitechapel a lot of wasted time in fielding
enquiries that they are not allowed to answer - again, a comprehensive
PR plan from the Olympic people should have anticipated and avoided
that.

It is hard to believe that the Olympic authorities really think that
they can conceal where the bell is being cast in the long term
- especially if it is not being cast in the UK (and we really don't know
that for sure).

My advice to them would be to make it public as soon as possible,
and in a relatively low key way.

Will the general public really give two hoots where the bell is actually cast?

The answer is probably "no" - unless concern is fuelled by a 
deliberate attempt at
concealment by the Olympic authority. Plus a tabloid or two would 
have to decide
to make a story of it on a slow news day. All of which would be a  spectacular
'own goal' for their PR team.

RAL

PS - I don't care much about the Olympics, but I am quite pleased that
a great bell is going to be part of the proceedings and that the contract
for supplying that bell has gone to an English founder. Anything  like this
that helps to keep our industry alive should surely be welcomed ...