Panasonic is launching a $10M global TV ad campaign in April
touting its IOC "TOP" sponsorship. The first spot is tailored to
feature athletes and national anthems from the 40 countries that
will air the ad (BRANDWEEK, 12/11 issue). ....The SLOOC met last
week with the IOC Executive Committee in Karuizawa, Japan for the
first of its quarterly meetings which will be held before the
2002 Winter Games. The IOC's main message to SLOOC was to start
their marketing campaign to raise the necessary money (SALT LAKE
TRIBUNE, 12/11).... Atlanta's Marietta Street buildings serving
as Adidas HQs during the Games will become the shoemaker's
regional sales and promotional center after (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 12/10). ....Lowes Development Corp. announced last
week it will renovate 17,000 square feet of space in downtown
Salt Lake City for the SLOOC to move into in February (DESERET
NEWS, 12/8)....The Women's Sports Foundation is questioning the
pictograms identifying Olympic venues in Atlanta on the basis
that the signs do not fairly represent both genders (Women's
Sports Foundation)....The Colorado Springs GAZETTE TELEGRAPH ran
a feature this weekend on the USOC and amateur athletics. Mike
Spence examines recent criticisms that the USOC does not do
enough to foster athletics at the developmental level. Spence
notes officials admit the USOC needs to increase its involvement
in developmental and non-elite sports, but at the same time they
"insist" they can't be expected to assume all of the
responsibility in this regard (Colorado Springs GAZETTE-
TELEGRAPH, 12/10).
