This was written at the time of the G-20 summit in Toronto. It is from a marketing perspective.
Experience or Exploit?
Toronto has that marketing gleam in its eye – but Toronto’s inability to control the g-20 might make us look worse than better. I don’t think anyone is looking forward to the G-20 in Toronto – from citizens to marketing professionals. The “Experience Canada” media pavilion is set to host over 3,500 journalists and media professionals from around the world. Says the director general of the summits media office to a media engagement last Sunday, “it is a great opportunity for us to highlight the best of our country to these journalists.” The thing about marketing is that it’s not only the voice you want to get out there, but you want to have the right message and image. I don’t believe all publicity is good publicity – bad publicity is bad publicity, period. The 20, 000 media pavilion cost around 1.9 million – good money spent or a waste of everyone’s time. I see Toronto as a teenager, just getting on the scene and cool, but still thinking it has way more experience than it actually does. Toronto is still trying to din its international identity, and I don’t really think a billion dollar worldwide event is the best way – think of your citizens first. The summit is expected to cause major traffic, business distractions with a lot of downtown offices scheduling to work from home towards the end of the week – even though the event is held on a Saturday/Sunday. Says Will from Toronto, an online commentator from a recent CTV article on the g-20 and it’s marketing budget:
Well said.
