London Olympics 2012 has turned out to be a public relations success for Britain. The event appears to have changed the image of the British for the better, according to an international survey by global public relations group Ecco.
More than 100 communications experts from 24 countries around the globe contributed to the research, with 79 per cent judging the ‘local’ media coverage of the London Olympics as largely positive. Almost 99 per cent of the respondents said that more people would visit Great Britain following the Olympics.
Around 97 per cent believed the games have resulted in a more positive perception of British products and services in their countries. The survey was conducted in August and September following the London 2012 Olympic Games, with a total of 108 participants from 24 countries.
More friendly
Over a quarter of the survey participants believed that the games had resulted in perceptions of the British as being friendlier, more culturally complex, more competitive and having a greater sense of humour than was previously the case.
Petri Laine, a public relation consultant from Finland, said, “British sports fans have previously had a bad reputation abroad, largely due to football. The games went a long way towards improving that image and showcasing the Brits as true sports fans.”
Sara Render, Ecco Chairman and CEO of UK PR firm Kinross and Render, said, “Britain has been patting itself on the back justifiably for a fantastic games, but overseas audiences count even more when it comes to boosting tourism and international trade. This is a strong endorsement of London 2012’s positive impact on British tourism.”
Lutz Cleffman, owner of a German PR agency, added, “London is not just the city of greedy bankers any more. The Olympics showed a much nicer face of the people and country.”