Many companies in China face new realities now that the Olympics are over, but few will be affected as much as SOHU.com, the highly popular Chinese-language web site that was the official carrier of the games in this country.
When I toured the company’s headquarters today, the Olympics were everywhere. Logos from games were splashed across all the walls and life-sized stuffed mascots were waiting in every hallway. Strolling the dozens of rows of cubicles where staffers toiled night and day I could see calendars counting down to the closing ceremonies - the moment everyone would finally have time again to spend with family and friends.
For SOHU.com management, the Olympics play into a larger competition for eyeballs in one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Print and television outlets in China are mostly state-run and declining in popularity, so whoever wins the internet is truly the "king of all media." SOHU.com hopes to capitalize on some of the increased traffic brought on by the games, and so do shareholders who buy the company’s stock on the Nasdaq exchange in the United States.
However, CEO Charles Zhang also says associating with Olympics is about more than money pointing out that "recognition is the most important thing in Chinese culture." The more time I spend here in Beijing, the more I realize the real buzz isn’t all about riches, it’s also about respect.
