As the Olympic Torch Relay (OTR) makes its way through China, the excitement in the communities along the route is incredible. Literally hundreds of thousands of people turn out every day to cheer, wave flags and celebrate as the most visible symbol of the Olympic spirit passes through their hometowns.

Helios Partners has had the pleasure to be directly involved as this historical event unfolds. In the early stages, the Helios team advised Lenovo regarding the development of their marketing strategy as a Presenting Partner for the OTR. More recently, we have consulted Shanghai Volkswagen and BHP Billiton regarding how to realize benefits from their automotive supplier rights and torch bearer allocations.

More recently, Helios President Chris Renner was invited by Lenovo to participate in the OTR as it passed through Jingzhou (Hubei Province) on June 2. Chris was clearly impressed by his experience:

“I have worked on virtually every Olympic Games since 1992 and actually had the honor to be a torch bearer at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics in Norway. However, the torch relay in Jingzhou went to an entirely new level. The size and enthusiasm of the local people for the torch, relay and runners was incredible. After all of the challenges the Olympic Torch Relay has faced over the past few months, it was refreshing to be reminded why the Olympics and the relay endure- they have an incredible ability to unify people in a shared experience of hope and excitement.”

Helios Partners’ involvement with its clients and the OTR has truly been a team effort. We are looking forward to the conclusion of the torch relay in Beijing on August 8 and the beginning of the long-anticipated Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.