There are "growing concerns" among Olympic sponsors that
ACOG's need for more money to stage the $1.6B event, will "create
an environment that fosters ambush activity," according to Jeff
Jensen in the current issue of AD AGE. Companies such as IBM
feel that ambush marketing "from within" is a very big concern.
Elizabeth Primrose-Smith, Dir of Worldwide Olympic and Sports
Operations for IBM: "They're trying to slice this roll of bologna
as thin as they can, so we're all smacking up against each
other." Tom Carmody, Senior VP/GM North America for Reebok:
"You're never really sure with the Olympics just how many
categories they have to sell." A joking Carmody: "The Olympics
will create a new category for you. 'Athletic footwear is gone,
but gee, we don't have (a sponsor for) technical fabrics in
midsoles. How about a million dollars for that?'" However,
Jensen reports that ACOP countered "the oft-used and less
ethically troublesome" tactic of sponsoring individual sports
federations "by coordinating these sponsorship sales with its
own" (ADVERTISING AGE, 4/24 issue).
ASICS AT INT'L PLAZA: Asics Corp. will create a sports
marketing and events center at Atlanta's Int'l Sports Plaza. The
area will be the company's "focal point" for marketing and
Olympic-related activities (Asics).
TICKET TALK: The status of tickets to the '96 Games is
examined in this morning's WALL STREET JOURNAL. In the "long
line for Olympic tickets," the general public is "just one of the
many constituencies" ACOG has to serve. The "pecking order":
IOC, the national Olympic committees, the int'l sports
federations, corporate sponsors, host hotels, licensees,
broadcast-rights holders, dignitaries, Americans with
disabilities, special corporate package purchasers, Braves
season-ticket holders ... and "finally the American public."
Asked how many of the 83,000 plus tickets will be available for
the opening ceremonies, an ACOG spokesperson replied: "I have
been told I'll lose my job for answering that question" (Emory
Thomas, WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/25).
