London Olympics 2012 – Are you ready?

Written by Simon Drysdale 09 / 10 / 2011

London will go into meltdown.  Traffic will be gridlocked, domestic visitors will stay at home, and nobody will be able to get into work. These are some of the fears that have been raised by Olympics organiser LOCOG and there are plenty more to add to the list.

In such an uncertain environment what should arts and entertainment organisations be doing?  Should we be taking advantage of the Olympic opportunities? Or would we be better off battening down the hatches and sitting it out until the autumn of 2012?

The Impact team asked a cross-section of our customers how they thought their organisations would be affected by the Olympic games and how they were planning for the effects of the games over the next year.

What we found was that most organisations had considered the implications of the games but were unsure of the likely effects and were therefore taking a contingent approach.

A few of our customers have made a clear decision to scale down their activity in the lead up to and during the Olympics, fearing that their voice will not be heard over the noise and excitement of the games.

Others have adapted their programmes in line with advice LOCOG has been offering based on the experiences of previous Olympic host cities.  The advice that appears to have stuck most is that some traditional domestic visitors (meaning those from outside of London who travel into the city once or more each year to see specific shows or exhibitions) are likely to avoid coming into the capital until the games are over.

Similarly, foreign visitor numbers could dip below their normal levels in the lead up to the Games.  The main reason cited for this behaviour appears to be that people fear the city will be in a state of upheaval and disruption, not just during the games but also in the months leading up to them.

Precisely how our customers are adapting programmes varies enormously.  Some have decided to programme blockbuster shows and exhibitions later in the year to ensure they do not miss out on the specific audience and visitor groups.  Others have chosen to take a line of attack where they will stage eye-catching events in the lead up to summer in an effort to stand out from the crowd in a potentially smaller market.

But the most revealing thing to come out of our survey was that, whilst most organisations are aware of the possible effects of the Olympics on visitor types and numbers over the next year, there are no certainties.  Every Olympic city has experienced different visitor trends and behaviours.  What will happen in London and how that affects individual theatres, galleries and museums is impossible to predict with any degree of accuracy.

Of course the usual good practice rules of marketing still apply.  We will continue to identify our target markets, deploy appropriate marketing tools to communicate with them, and quantify the outcomes of our efforts.

At Impact we have a range of tools that will help our customers stand out from the crowd, draw attention to their offers, and persuade their targeted groups to participate.  We are already working with many organisations to make sure 2012 is the celebratory success it should be.

London is sure to feel different in its Olympic year.  While we adapt to these differences, taking advantage of the opportunities and planning for the logistical and market challenges, we must also make sure we soak up the joy of a city in the world spotlight staging a huge event of enormous historic and social value.  The Olympics are coming – ready or not.