Lenovo Uses Exclusive Olympic Sponsorship To Launch Brand

Lenovo Planning To Use Beijing Olympics As Launching Pad For Brand

IT'S EVERYWHERE YOU WANT TO BE: USA TODAY'S Theresa Howard reports marketers "are cranking up" for the Beijing Games as protests around the Olympic torch relay fade and recovery from the earthquake in China last month continues. After "curbing its marketing earlier, Coca-Cola has resumed its schedule of ads in China." Coca-Cola Senior Manager of Public Affairs & Communications Petro Kacur: "Out of respect for the victims and families of those affected by the earthquake ... for one month, Coca-Cola did not run celebratory advertising and toned down the activities along the Olympic torch relay." Meanwhile, the Games will be Visa's "first big marketing event since becoming a publicly traded company." With the theme "Go World," Visa's "plans include Olympic trip contests and TV ads, plus ATMs at the Olympic Village" (USA TODAY, 6/20).

BA-RACK THE VOTE: AD AGE's Ira Teinowitz reported officials from the presidential campaign of presumptive Democratic nominee U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) have "asked NBC Universal about Olympics advertising," including packages worth $500,000, $2M and $4M.  All ad packages presented to the campaign "include time on both NBC and cable." The campaign is "keeping mum about whether it will definitely run spots." However, a buy during the Games "could allow Mr. Obama to reach out to a large swath of women." No presidential candidate has "done any significant buying of network TV ad time since Bob Dole ran in 1996" (ADAGE.com, 6/19).

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