The IOC named TBWA Worldwide as its first agency of
record "for a massive" $150M global ad effort, according to
Wayne Friedman of AD AGE. The IOC chose TBWA over Y&R
Advertising after narrowing its search from 20 shops to two.
The agency's "initial efforts for the IOC will start in
January or February," nine months before the start of the
Sydney Summer Games. The IOC denied the selection of TBWA
was in response to the Salt Lake City bid scandal and other
"recent troubles." IOC Dir of Marketing Michael Payne: "You
are not going to advertise your way out of these
difficulties. The campaign is purely to develop a long-term
strategy. ... We don't have a turnaround issue." But
Friedman reports that TBWA "has been known in recent years
for taking on troubled brands, including Apple Computer and
Taco Bell." A "major part" of TBWA's efforts will be to
target the Olympic brand toward "young adults." TBWA
Worldwide Chair & CCO Lee Clow: "There's a large Internet/
[World Wide Web] component of the dialogue." While
specifics of the campaign were not released, Friedman writes
that "one key element would be to promote human achievement"
(AD AGE, 7/26 issue). Payne said TBWA had "very interesting
thoughts about the beloved Internet and marketing the
Olympics into the future." Payne said that the "primary
focus" of the campaign will be on TV (McMains & Siebert,
ADWEEK, 7/26 issue). Because the IOC's TV partners agreed
to air the ad spots free, Payne said the IOC expenses will
be in the "very low seven figures." The value of the air
time would be worth "north" of $100M (USA TODAY, 7/27).
