The Canadian Media Hype for Vancouver 2010
The "Do You Believe" Ad Campaign That Sparked National Excitement
Sep 20, 2009
Canadians across the nation and perhaps international television viewers have seen the popular Olympic commercials, where the theme is “Do you believe?” The media campaign, which features personal and often poignant stories of Canadian athletes who will be competing in Vancouver 2010, is meant to evoke emotion, national pride, interest and a personal stake in the Olympic Games.
The Canadian media have promised that the 2010 Olympics will be a spectacular event that will draw crowds from around the world. The Olympics have always been a big draw for sports and athletic fans so what makes Vancouver such a fantastic venue for the Olympic Games?
According to the Canadian media, the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver will live up to the hype they have created.
Olympic Opening Ceremony
The Canadian government has given financial support to the creation of the 2010 Opening Ceremony which suggests that Canada is eager to make its mark on the world as Beijing did in 2008. It has been said that the Opening Ceremony has been organized by over 100 Canadian cultural figures.
It is, however, hard to say whether the opening ceremony will be as outstanding and amazing as the Canadian Media wants us to believe. Previous Olympic opening ceremonies have made audiences gasp in awe, something that is now expected from spectators. Only time will tell if the Canadians are able to pull it off to the standard they have promised.
A Memorable 2010 Torch Relay
The torch relay is one of the most famous traditions of the Olympic Games with thousands of people watching the symbol travelling from hand to hand through many different locations.
The 2010 Olympic torch will travel the longest distance in history within the borders of the host country, but is this really that impressive? The Canadian press will have people believe that the torch will travel through communities and places of interest. Is this just an attempt by Canada to show off some of its lesser known destinations?
Sports and Olympic Events
Sports are obviously at the heart of the Olympics. The Canadian Media has created a massive amount of hype around the sporting events of the Vancouver Olympics. Athletes and host countries are always under huge pressure during Olympic ceremonies and because of this the events are unlikely to go without a hitch. If Canada is expecting a perfect Olympics then they may be in for a big surprise.
The Usual Olympic Naysayers
Along with the usual problems that an Olympic committee face, B.C has already had its fair share of drama. The Canadian media will have you thinking that all Canadians are happy about the events and looking forward to the influx of people from around the world, but there are certain groups in Canada that are less than happy about the Olympics coming to their home.
There are numerous protest sites on the internet run by people for a number of different reasons. A few of the major issues include low income families being evicted from their homes; Olympic ceremonies taking place on ‘stolen land’; and concerns that the protest spaces within the ceremonies will create clashes with the police.
Of course there are always problems like this at any Olympic Games, whether the host country is Spain, China, Russia, or a European country. Usually, all is forgotten in the celebration and revelry when the games actually start. The big question seems to be whether Canadians and onlookers from around the world can answer yes to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games question… do you believe?
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