Dozens of major companies and specialty brands that are "not official Olympics sponsors have applied to run advertising campaigns featuring athletes" ahead of the Rio Games, taking advantage of the IOC's new "Rule 40" that is "shaking up the business," according to Liana Baker of REUTERS. U.S. multinationals including snack company Mondelez Int'l, General Mills, Under Armour, adidas and Gatorade have applied to the USOC, "seeking a waiver that will allow them to compete with official Games sponsors during the Olympics in August and the Paralympics in September." Others that have applied include Red Bull, GoPro, Asics, Skechers USA, Brooks Running, Speedo and Johnson & Johnson "for a charitable campaign." Baker noted companies "running these campaigns will have to operate under detailed restrictions aimed at retaining some exclusivity for official sponsors." Law firm DLA Piper Head of Intellectual Property Frank Ryan said that the change to the "Rule 40" could have a "big impact on the multi-billion-dollar marketing engine that drives the Games." Under the new rules, the USOC is "banning unofficial sponsors from using words such as Olympics, and even 'summer', 'victory', and 'effort' in some contexts." Bruin Sports Capital Exec VP David Abrutyn said that the average consumer still "might not notice much difference between official and unofficial ads." Abrutyn: "When you see Michael Phelps' face in an ad, you automatically think of the Olympics, even if there's no mention of it or any rings" (REUTERS, 4/1).
