"O Canada" Source For Vancouver Games English, French Mottos

VANOC Unveils 2010 Games Motto

VANOC "won high marks" for marketing Thursday for announcing "With Glowing Hearts" as the motto for the 2010 Olympics, according to Derrick Penner of the VANCOUVER SUN. The phrase comes directly from the Canadian national anthem. The official French-language motto of "Des Plus Brillants Exploits" is also derived from the anthem. Simon Fraser Univ. marketing professor Lindsay Meredith said that the "near-universal recognition of those phrases among Canadians will give Olympic organizers a message that people can easily pick up in association with the Olympics." Meredith: "From a Canadian national perspective, (the mottos have) very, very high resonance." Meredith added that the slogans "will travel well when organizers use it to reach around the world" (VANCOUVER SUN, 9/26). VANOC Dir of Brand & Creative Services Ali Gardiner: "We wanted the motto to be equally powerful in both English and French." Toronto-based advertising agency Lowe Roche Founder & Chief Creative Officer Geoffrey Roche said of the mottos, "There's no question it's a smart thing, because it does come from the national anthem and it gives the country a very good feeling about itself." VANOC CEO John Furlong: "It says over and over again that there is no such thing as quitting in a Canadian, that we try hard" (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/26). The mottos replace "Celebrate the Possible," which had been "used unofficially since 2006" (AROUNDTHERINGS.com, 9/25).

STAND ON GUARD FOR THEE: In Vancouver, Susan Lazaruk notes VANOC "has applied for a trademark" for "With Glowing Hearts," but that "won't prevent Canadians from using it, except in conjunction with the Olympics." VANOC said that the trademark "is to protect against commercial entities trying to capitalize on the motto." VANOC Exec VP/Revenue, Marketing & Communications Dave Cobb: "We want to ensure it's not used inappropriately" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 9/26).