LOCOG officials said that London Games ticket-holders “will be 'free to
wear the clothing of their choice' inside Games venues,” according to
Shiv Malik of the GUARDIAN. LOCOG Chair Sebastian Coe previously had
said that people "wearing advertising logos of non-Olympic sponsors
would be turned away.” Coe said that spectators "would not be able to
gain entry wearing a Pepsi T-shirt, but that they would 'probably' get in
wearing Nike trainers.” Coca-Cola is an IOC TOP sponsor, while adidas
is a LOCOG partner. A LOCOG spokesperson said that people wearing
clothing “with other brands would not be prevented from entering venues”
(GUARDIAN, 7/20).
MARKETING MAGAZINE's John Reynolds reported LOCOG Communications Chair Jackie Brock-Doyle indicated that Coe
"misheard the question" that was asked of him during the recent radio
interview (MARKETINGMAGAZINE.co.uk, 7/20).
STARTING A REVOLUTION: In London, Andy Bull
reported a group of U.S. athletes have “launched a ‘barefoot revolution’
against the stringent sponsorship rules being imposed on them” by the
USOC. Silver Medal-winning shot putter Adam Nelson launched
the protest, which “encourages athletes and fans to Tweet pictures of
their bare feet with the tag #SolesForSoul.” Nelson said that he set up
the campaign “after receiving phone calls and emails from other athletes
who are concerned about the impact of USOC’s rules on their sponsorship
incomes.” Nelson “missed out on qualification for the Games, but is a
board member of the Track and Field Athletes Association.” He is
“contemplating encouraging union members to go barefoot on the podium” (GUARDIAN, 7/19).
WHAT'S IN YOUR WALLET? The AP’s Paisley Dodds wrote the
Olympics crush “has begun in London -- and so has the scramble for
cold, hard cash in the pricey British capital.” Lines are “getting
longer at ATMs, visitors are in sticker shock over British prices and
some befuddled tourists are wondering what currency to use.” Since Visa
holds an “exclusive sponsorship for the London Olympics, people at
Olympics venues will either have to use cash, Visa credit or debit cards
or go to kiosks where they can use other credit cards to purchase a
special Visa prepaid card.” Visa has also “removed 27 ATMs from Olympic
venues and replaced them with just eight Visa-only cash machines.” The
company said that it “doesn't expect any problems due to its exclusive
Olympic sponsorship.” Visa Head of Olympic Management Matt
Kauffman said that “98% of U.K. residents hold either a Visa debit or a
Visa credit card, and that 80% of those attending the Olympics will be
from the U.K.” (AP, 7/19).
NOT LOVIN' IT: In London, Jacquelin Magnay wrote having paid
millions to sponsor the Olympics for the past 40 years, McDonald's
managers "might not be delighted with the latest comments" made by Great
Britain Head of Sports Science & Research Marco Cardinale. When
asked if British athletes would be dining at the world's biggest
McDonald's, based at the Olympic Park, he said he would be "very
surprised" if they "make the wrong choice" (TELEGRAPH, 7/19).
ROYAL HEADACHE? The TELEGRAPH's Magnay noted that U.K.
Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s family business, Party Pieces,
“has been asked to change parts of their website after an investigation
by London 2012 Olympics officials found some problems with the promotion
of goods associated with the Games.” It is “believed the company will
have to change a page where there is imagery of a Union Flag-covered
Olympic torch and a female throwing a javelin under the title ‘Let the
Games Begin’” (TELEGRAPH, 7/20).