The brands of Beijing

Promotions and Incentives magazine asked me to analyze brand activity around this summer's Beijing Olympics. The International Olympic Committee tightened up the Olympic Charter after Athens in 2004 and the only sponsorship with exclusive worldwide marketing rights to both Winter and Summer Games, lies with the TOP (The Olympic Partner Programme) Partners. So will we see a repeat of the ambush brand marketing which, in the past has caused simmering tensions between the likes of Nike and Adidas? Or will China's human rights record put brands off attempts to align themselves with the Chinese Olympic rings and lead TOP Partners to rethink their official Olympic marketing strategies?

For the published article visit:
Brand Republic's Promotions and Incentives site
For a brief look at the promotional marketing we can expect from TOP Partners during the Beijing games, see below:

TOP Partner brand activity:
Omega
The luxury watch brand is the official timekeeper for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. To commemorate, it has released limited edition versions of its Constellation watches. The men’s version has the Olympic rings attached to the second hand. The women’s version has blue and yellow sapphires, a black diamond, an emerald and a ruby representing the colours of the Olympics as hour markers.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is working with the official pin licensee in China to produce Coca-Cola branded Olympic pins from the same consignment of steel as used in the construction of the Beijing National Stadium. “We are supporting the pursuit of Green Olympics,” says Coca-Cola Olympic project group general manager David Brooks.
Visa
Visa is the exclusive payment card for the Games and is helping China speed up its process of building a world-class payment infrastructure.
ATOS
The international IT services company received Olympic support for its Integration Test Lab in Beijing. The facility will test all the key IT infrastructure and software applications that will be used during the Games.
Johnson & Johnson
Official health care products sponsor for the Olympics since 2006. It will be following up its Sport for Good Health campaign and in-store promotions on Compeed and Neutrogena products are anticipated but not confirmed.
Panasonic
Panasonic banners and advertising will be seen everywhere during the Games. The HD technology provider promises to “bring the excitement of the Olympic Games to life.”
Samsung
Samsung is launching three new mobile phone models around the Games and plans on enabling consumers to benefit from customized SMS and business information across different applications.
Kodak
The 2008 Olympics will be Kodak’s final Games as official imaging sponsor. It will provide an imaging centre for journalists, a clinic for diagnostic imaging of athlete injuries and accreditation badges.
LENOVO
The Chinese supplier will launch 2008 Games branded computers.
GE
General Electric is expecting to sell about 357 million euros worth of electricity-producing turbines, lighting systems and other equipment for the new Olympic venues.
McDonalds
Happy meal on pack promotions and in-store point of sale is expected.