Some publishers are “chafing under restrictions imposed” by the USOC and IOC “blocking athletes from appearing in any ad campaign not affiliated with an Olympic sponsor during a blackout period,” according to Keith Kelly of the N.Y. POST. The “Games Period” for the London Olympics is defined as “from July 18 until three days after the closing ceremony on Aug. 15.” The USOC said the rule “helps prevent ambush marketing.” U.S. swimmers Ryan Lochte and Dara Torres have “hooked up with Nissan, but since BMW is a Rings sponsor, none of Nissan’s ads can make it into print, TV or other media either during the exclusivity period.” One publishing exec complained that he “lost a $168,000 ad campaign from Nissan because of the blackout.” The exec said, “It just seems like a crackdown on freedom of expression that goes way beyond even what they had in Beijing four years ago” (N.Y. POST, 6/20).
GET OFF MY LAWN: MARKETING WEEK's Sebastian Joseph reported Puma's marketing activity is being investigated by Olympic officials "over concerns it may have broken restrictions" on ambush marketing by using terms such as "Games" and "gold medal." The apparel brand sponsors Jamaica sprinter Usain Bolt but is not an official Olympic sponsor. LOCOG is specifically investigating the Puma Yard press release (MARKETINGWEEK.com, 6/19). Puma yesterday announced plans for a Puma Yard area this summer for 17 days "to celebrate the global sporting events taking place this July and August in London." The Yard will be Jamaica-themed (Puma).
TAKING STOCK: Last night’s edition of CNBC’s “Mad Money” featured CNBC’s Jim Cramer wearing a Nike headband, shorts and sneakers to discuss Nike. Cramer noted the stock “has rallied over 160 percent from the generational lows back in March 2009, but over the past few months that long-term uptrend seems to have fallen apart with Nike down 10 percent just in the last six weeks alone.” Cramer: “When you drill down into the charts, this weakness in Nike looks more and more like an imminently buyable pullback, the kind you only rarely get in such a high-quality stock. It’s one of our favorite growth stocks from way back.” Nike “reports next Thursday, June 28th, and I think the quarter will be strong. We know Nike’s in the process of putting across-the-board price increases of 8 percent. That should be a real boon to the bottomline.” Cramer noted, “But the key to this stock is the Summer Olympics ... (as) Nike owns the Summer Olympics. I got to tell you, you’ll see it. They will be carpet-bombing our network with advertising and (competitors) from all over the world, what will they be wearing? Well, they’ll look just like me! ... Historically, Nike always outperforms the S&P 500 in years when we have a Summer Olympics. ... When the Olympics come, you just know this stock is going to take off and leave the S&P in the dust which means you’ve got an incredible buying opportunity” (“Mad Money,” CNBC, 6/19).
BATTLEGROUNDS: REUTERS’ Bryan & Weir note Nike and adidas are “locked in their own Olympic battle to boost athletes' performance and squeeze maximum value" out of the London Games. adidas has made “41 different shoes that will be worn by athletes competing in 25 disciplines,” and the shoes are on average 25% lighter "than the equivalent shoes worn in Beijing.” Nike is “promoting ultra-light shoes and a running uniform featuring special patches which reduce the aerodynamic drag on an athlete, an idea taken from the dimples that help golf balls to fly further.” Meanwhile, Japan-based Asics “plans to open a new flagship store on London's Oxford Street just before the Games begin on July 27” (REUTERS, 6/20).
RIGHT ON TIME: FORBES.com’s Hannah Elliott noted the new Nike track & field uniforms are “capable of shaving off 0.023 seconds over 100 meters from the previous race outfit.” That is “not insignificant considering the time difference between second and third place in the mens final in Beijing 2008 was .02 seconds” (FORBES.com, 6/19).
