"I think one of the good ways in China is to see the continuous campaign," said Sorrell, who is the founder of WPP, one of the world's leading communications services groups, which has many Olympic sponsors as clients.

"The Chinese companies should look at it as a continuous process and not as a one shot, such as the Winter Games in 2010 and the London Games in 2014. The biggest issue is to have the consistency," he added.

Founded in 1985, WPP companies offer a wide range of services to national, multinational and global clients. These include advertising, media investment management, information, insight and consultancy, public relations and public affairs, branding and identity, healthcare and specialist communications services.

Having dealt with numerous Olympic clients for a long time, Sorrell, the chief executive of the group, hailed the way Chinese companies are quickly adapting to Olympic marketing.

"The Chinese companies seem to learn quite effectively. The experience is probably the best way of learning. But they are very fast learners," Sorrell said. "They are not waiting for August 8, 2008 to make their investment. They are doing it in 2006 and 2007 and the lesson is that they should continue on that."

Sorrell commented on the progress they have made in recent months.

"I noticed, even since the last time I was here three months ago, the growth of self-confidence among the Chinese companies and greater self-belief that they can win comparatively both in China and outside China," he said.

"The benefits of sponsoring the Olympics will be in terms of their brands and therefore their products and services, not only in China but abroad."

He pointed out the potential benefits that the Olympic Games will bring to China.

"It's a clear signal to major Chinese companies, who are building their business in China and trying to build their business abroad, that this is an event that they can use as a platform for their growth and development," he said. "And similarly for foreign multi-nationals, when they are seeking to build their brands in China, to use the Olympic Games as a platform for that, and the signal to the Chinese market that they are taking China seriously in developing their business."

Although Olympic marketing is drawing more attention from companies due to its large potential, Sorrell warned that it is not for everyone.

"Before entering the Olympic market, the companies should look at what their strategies and what their objectives are and look at how those strategies can be developed by sponsors," he said.

"They should also try to understand what their brands and what the Olympics stands for and how the two can be brought together."

He suggested that the companies keep in mind both traditional and new media while conducting their Olympic marketing campaigns.

"The marketing activities have to be done both traditionally and online. You have to think carefully what young people are doing in terms of media consumption, and the challenges from the new media," he said.