While big brands fight for share of Olympic wealth, we can't let smaller businesses get left behind

With the Olympics fast approaching, the number of sponsor-driven adverts seems to be ever-increasing. It appears as though every sponsor is doing their very best to maximise their "take" from next year’s much-talked-about Olympic event.

Colin Grannell, Visa’s head of partnership marketing, spoke to the Financial Times this week about the fierce competition that has flared up between the big name sponsors of the London 2012 Games. He explained that every company involved in the Olympics is "fighting for a share of awareness" and that Visa in particular is "constantly learning" how to better utilise its position as one of the main sponsors of the Games in order to boost its own profits.

While Mr Grannell - and indeed the author of the article - waxed lyrical about Visas plans to take advantage of their position as "top dog" financial contributors, the ways in which the Olympics could provide a much-needed boost to the UK's small, independent businesses were completely ignored.

In the current economic environment, it seems rather short-sighted for us to be focusing solely on the potential profits that the Olympics could garner for the already wealthy, multi-national co-corporations that make up the bulk of the 2012 sponsorship. So much has been made of the Games being an event for everyone in the UK, and we at Cash is Cool think it is unacceptable that more is not being done to help independent businesses benefit financially during 2012.

So, it's up to us - the British public - to help. Don't allow yourself to be pulled in by the big name brands and certainly don't fall for the "Visa-only" campaign that has surrounded the Games since the sale of tickets began earlier this year. Keeping spending our cash cash with small businesses who are trading around the Games is one really simple way of making sure we are all doing our bit to support these "under dogs".

Help give a boost to those that need it most - the independent shops and other businesses that operate on your doorstep- by putting cash into their tills. By doing that, you will also help them to avoid the costly charges imposed by credit and debit card issuers!

Friday, 9th September 2011

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