The branding of destinations as desirable sites for new investment and tourist
consumption has included sport and sporting events as key elements of new
economic development strategies. Janiskee argues that we live in an age of
special events.41 It is no coincidence that Brand Australia was launched in 1995
less than two years after Sydney was awarded the 2000 Olympic Games. A
three-year advertising campaign began in 1998 to maxmise potential returns
linked to Sydney’s hosting of the Olympics and to draw together Brand
Australia, the Olympic Brand and the brands of Olympic sponsors.42 Under this approach, the integration of brands capitalises on the heightened awareness
generated by a major event such as the Sydney Olympics and focuses on the
development of positive experiences for the visitor that synergies between
brands can generate. Sporting events are particularly attractive in this context as
they can evoke powerful imagery and elicit emotional responses from spectators.