Olympic Activation

As the 2012 London Olympic Games draw near, it's time to look back on the preparation and ahead to the implementation of the partners involved with the 30th Olympiad. The World Partners, as well as the London partners have been hard at work to get the most out of their sponsorship activation which has the potential to reach millions of viewers world-wide. I have outlined some of the most significant developments and plans for the Olympic Games of the World Partners:


Coca Cola

• Pre-London Activation – “Move to the Beat” – a musical campaign to combine the uplifting sounds of Olympic Games with the traditional London instrumental vision, with the intent to inspire a younger generation to obtain interest in the Games.
• London Activation – A unique, Coke bottle-inspired pavilion will house the Coca Cola on-site activation that includes interactive opportunities for patrons create their own “Olympic Sound” by remixing recorded sounds from athletes, celebrities, and musical pieces. The pavilion will also be home to the serve bar, which will serve 23 million drinks with the widest selection of drinks ever at the Olympic Games.

Acer

• Preparation: As the exclusive computing equipment of the Olympic Games, Acer will provide 16,000 computing devices to enable each competition venue, Olympic villages, and numerous other venues involved with the Games.
• Activation: Acer has developed “Internet Lounges” athletes and media personnel of the Olympic Games to have 24 computer/internet access for social media, communication, and writing purposes. They have also established an interactive showcase for visitors, guests, and spectators to explore the many technological opportunities available with Acer.

Atos

• Operations: Atos provides internal support for the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) to ensure all IT matters are developed, maintained, and controlled throughout the competitions. Most importantly, they reduce the risk of outside threats to the IT infrastructure. Additionally, a new application has been created to assist athletes, officials, and the media with scheduling, transportation, and recorded information.

Dow

• Preparation: The Dow Chemical Company has a unique approach to their part in the Olympic Games. It is only their second Olympics as a worldwide partner, and it demonstrates the innovative changes in sports today. Dow has established numerous solutions to structures of the venues such as roofing, flooring, artificial surfaces, wiring and cabling, and other durable surfaces for competition.

GE

• Operations: The services provided by GE for the upcoming Olympic Games will be a dominant factor in the effectiveness of the competitions. They are the exclusive energy provider that will illuminate all venues, enable heating and cooling, provide power to the entire Olympic committee, and also equip venue personnel with electric vehicles for transportation purposes. They have built and will maintain the Polyclinic in the Olympic Village to provide athletes with MRI, CT, X-Ray, and other equipment for efficient detection and prevention of injuries and health issues.

McDonalds

• Activation: As the world’s leading fast food retailer and the exclusive food retail partner of London 2012, McDonalds is making their mark this summer.  In a campaign to promote healthy lifestyles to the world’s youth, they are enabling 200 children and 2,000 employees to attend the Olympic Games, meet athletes, and experience the history of the city of London.

Omega

• Operations: As the official timing, scoring, and results service of the Olympic Games, Omega has a very significant role and in the accuracy of data and determined winners of every event. With their timekeeping technologies, they will be responsible for determining the most accurate results of competitions, enabling starting block track and field movement, locating the first swimmers to touch the wall to conclude an event, and demonstrating race intervals.
• Importance: The development of this technology can reduce the risk of issues similar to the “tie” between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh at the US Olympic Trials.

Panasonic

• Operations: Panasonic has been the official AV Equipment partner of the Olympic Games for more than 20 years, but for the first time ever they will be providing live 3D Broadcasts for over 200 hours of competition for the viewers at home.
• Activation: In the Olympic Park, they will showcase their 3D HD Theatre presenting coverage from the events, as well as other footage for spectators.

P&G

• Endorsements: P&G has developed support relationships with over 150 Olympic athletes that have been featured in advertisements leading up to the Games. They involve high profile athletes such as Roger Federer, Oscar Soto, and Kerri Walsh Jennings with well-known products like Gillette and Pampers.
• Activation: The “I Love You Mom” Campaign has been recognizable and very successful around the world in an effort to thank mothers for all their support and dedication to their families and P&G products. To continue that movement, they will be providing athletes and families with beauty, grooming, and laundry services during their time at the Games.

Samsung

• Pre-London Activation: Samsung is most recognized and appreciated for their official sponsorship of the Olympic Torch Relay. In their selection of the torchbearers, transportation, entertainment, and other involvement with the 70-day relay, Samsung has worked to inspire and excite every town, city, and person that comes in contact with the flame.

Visa

• Pre-London Activation: Visa’s most well-known campaign leading up to the Olympic Games involves the slogan “Go World” which inspires and interests spectators from exciting and unique stories about different athletes.
• Operations: Their main objective at the Olympic Games is to maintain the payment network throughout every venue, and manage all point-of-sale and merchant interactions. In addition, they have developed and placed ATM’s throughout the venues to assist with cash flow for spectators and media alike.

Other London-specific partners are the following:

Adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF, and Lloyd TSB.