The USOC has issued a "cease-and-desist" warning to the
Brighton Ski Resort in UT for using the word "Olympic" in a
"light-hearted ad campaign," according to Lori Buttars of
the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE (see THE DAILY, 12/2). The resort has
featured ads saying, "It Doesn't Take An Olympic Committee
To Get You Into This School." Another billboard states,
"Proud Host Of ZERO Olympic Events." USOC Deputy Exec Dir
and General Counsel Scott Blackmun wrote to Brighton, "Your
current ad campaign dilutes the value of the Olympic marks
and impairs our licensing and fund-raising efforts, which
are critical to our goal." Blackmun ended his letter by
inviting the resort to "make a contribution to the USOC on
behalf of America's athletes in recognition of the fact that
Brighton has benefited from use of the intellectual
property." Wes Spiker, from the MT-based marketing firm
that created the slogans, said that Brighton "considered
doctoring the ads, but have since decided to start on a new
campaign from scratch." The USOC "asked that the billboard
ads be down by the first of the year" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE,
12/14). In the letter, the USOC called the campaign "very
damaging to the hopes of U.S. athletes currently training
for the 2000 Olympic Games" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/14).
