Normally - the Olympic Games are a positive force in marketing -

Worldwide marketing expenditures increase as official sponsors and unofficial free-riders attach themselves to the Olympic logo, to particular sports, national teams, or individual athletes.

Global brands, in particular, see the Olympics and World Cup soccer as the two most important international sporting events; brand linkage to these events can boost brand awareness, preference, and sales over competitors who cannot afford the global sponsorship prices set by the International Olympic Committee.

This year, however, concerns over the Chinese government's role in Tibet, Sudan, and other alleged human rights abuses threaten to derail its plans to stage the Olympics as China's coming out party.

Tight security in Beijing may take some of the fun out of the Games, not just for the sports fans and athletes but also for the sponsors.

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John A. Quelch is the Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.