Forget the mascot, flyers and marketing, Kieren Perkins says there is one essential ingredient to look for as Brisbane's 2032 Olympics goes shopping for a Games brand.
The president of Brisbane's Olympic and Paralympic organising committee Andrew Liveris gave his first public address in the role on Wednesday.
He called for applicants to pitch a vision that drew people to "come well before the torch is lit and stay long after it's out".
"Write down a word that symbolises Paris ... music, restaurants. It's a feel," he told the Queensland Media Club of the 2024 Games host.
"What they're doing (to prepare) just blows you away - but we're not Paris, we're not London or LA.
"Who are we? Answer that when you respond to the bid. And who do we want to be? And then design the symbols and emblems."
Liveris said business and sports innovation, ingenuity and hospitality were southeast Queensland's "super power".
Like Liveris, swimming great Perkins emphasised the importance of embracing Australia's multiculturalism and in particular the country's Pacific neighbours.
But addressing the National Press Club in Canberra at the same time as Liveris' speech, the Australian Sports Commission boss and two-time Olympic gold medallist said Brisbane's success would boil down to one thing.
"It's about Australia succeeding on the field of play," he told the audience on Wednesday.
"I'm absolutely certain when the Olympics and Paralympics are over, the community at large is not going to leave those Games if we have not performed well on the field of play, and say, 'You know what, that was the best Olympics ever. The seats in the stadium were so comfortable and the food and beverage and the concession was awesome, I know we lost but that's cool'.
"It doesn't work that way. We have high expectations of our athletes. We need to work very well to ensure on the field of play we're absolutely delivering the best performances we can, and inspiring the country at large to see what's possible.
"There will be people who will pay exorbitant amounts of money for tickets and people who will pay a very small amount but it's incredibly meaningful to them.
"They need to turn up and see an Australian compete. We need to deliver a big team, a strong team, and the atmosphere that creates and the representation that shows across the nation is incredibly important."
Brisbane-educated chemical engineer Liveris' former company, Dow Chemical, has been a long-time sponsor of the Olympics.
Tasked with revenue-raising to ensure the event is viable, he asked for "urgent patience" given Brisbane's unique 10-year run-up to the Games, and said a chief executive officer would likely be appointed next month.
"I've lived the Olympics of yesteryear, but the Olympics of today has changed enormously," he said.
"This isn't just a brand for the Olympics, it's a symbol for our future."
