Negotiating the 2012 marketing minefield

On your marks… Get set….There are 378 days to go. At this time next year London will be the focus of world attention as athletes and spectators start arriving for the 2012 Olympic Games.

What are you doing to boost your business on the back of the £9.3 billion (and counting) Britain has poured into the Games?

If you think it sounds like a golden opportunity (pun intended) think very carefully. Of course the tourism and hospitality sectors, especially in London, are looking for a big fillip to their turnover. But what about those companies less immediately associated with the event, such as drinks producers and brand owners? How can they benefit?

The London organisers say: “We want everyone to get excited about and engage with the Games and it is possible for business people, like anyone else, to do this – the key thing is to ensure it is done in a way that does not promote their business in association with the Games.”

Flout the tightly drawn 2006 Act of Parliament governing marketing activity around the Olympic and the Paralympic Games and you could face a substantial fine.

There will be no advertising in the stadia, nor will you be able to promote your products near them unless you are an official sponsor and pay a hefty licence fee – the organisers have options on all advertising sites around the locations. Anybody attempting to hand out unauthorised freebies or samples will also be breaking the law and face arrest.

Fancy trying a bit of sneaky “ambush marketing”, such as getting some of the spectators to wear your tee-shirts in front of the cameras, such as happened at the soccer world cup? Forget it, it’s banned and there will be strict searches at the entrances. Suspects will be thrown out. Even people taking a picnic will have unauthorised brands of soft drinks confiscated – Coca-Cola is a leading sponsor.

How about using the famous five multi-coloured rings or the London logo? You’re in difficult territory. They are fully protected, and at one stage it was envisaged that words such as “Olympics”, “gold”, “silver”, “medals” and even “London” and any combination of 2012 in letters or figures would be trade mark protected.

The government relented to some extent when the legislation was drawn up, but there are still stringent controls. You cannot use the logos without prior approval.

What about entertaining prime clients? First you have to get tickets and effectively there are none left, so unless you are in the hands of the hospitality providers, they will be expensive.

But even if you do splash out, you may not even be allowed to keep your guests refreshed with your brand. No alcohol will be allowed in the main stadium, for instance, and even at events where it is allowed, Heineken is the official beer partner of the 2012 London games and only its products may be served.

So how can your business “enjoy and celebrate the games” but not profit from them unless you request permission and pay the appropriate (hefty) fee?

An office party to watch an event is fine, as is an individual pub licensee inviting customers to watch an event on a big screen, providing he did not use the famous logos in the advertising. If he offers any sort of discount food or drink at the screening, however, that could be technically benefiting from an Olympic association.

If a chain of pubs offered a similar promotion, then it would certainly need official permission from the London Organising Committee.

Similarly, any widespread competition to win a trip to an event would need approval as would use of logos in-store which promote the idea of a Games-watching party at home.

Anyhow, you have less than a year to set your plans. Whatever they are, the first thing do is visit www.london2012/brandprotection. The FAQs are a starting point through the minefield.