Though Sports Illustrated spent $40M to be the official
publishing sponsor of the Atlanta Games, some "publishers appear
to be flouting the rules" that say non-sponsors are forbidden
from using Olympic symbols in any advertising or marketing,
reports Patrick Reilly of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. For instance,
USA Today ran an ad from Olympic sponsor Xerox that featured both
a Games logo and the paper's insignia and was told by the USOC to
remove the ad. In addition, ACOG says it has issued warnings to
"several women's magazines and publications" it won't identify.
SI plans to make $3-$5M from its "official program," will air a
two-hour TV special prior to the Games, and publish a daily
magazine during the Games (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/13).
NIKE WATCH: ACOG is currently deciding whether Nike's new
World Wide Web site, dubbed "OLYMPICSLanta" is more commercial -
than informational. Nike is not an official sponsor of the Games
and ACOG only allows Web sites from non-Olympic sponsors if they
offer editorial content (AD AGE, 6/14).
