Oddbins announces Games “counter-strike”

Oddbins has announced a 30% discount for any customers who walk into its stores over the next three weeks wearing or bearing a selection of items from companies not deemed to be an “official sponsor” of this year’s games.

Oddbins has launched a broadside at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ (LOCOG) “army of officials”, which it claims are “making a mockery” of the spirit of the Olympics.

The high street merchant has announced a “marketing counter-strike” to defy the organisation’s restrictions on companies and businesses using the Olympic Games in any way over the next two weeks to help drive custom.

Managing director, Ayo Akintola, explained: “The London Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the whole of the UK’s business community to come together to support our fantastic athletes and celebrate an awe-inspiring festival of sport.

“But thanks to LOCOG, any business without the tens of millions of pounds required to join the cabal of multinational brand partners for the Games are reduced to the status of beggars on the gilded streets of the Olympic movement.”

As such, Oddbins has announced that any customer who makes a purchase while wearing Nike trainers and carrying Vauxhall car keys, an RBS MasterCard, an iPhone, a bill from British Gas and a receipt for a Pepsi bought at KFC, will receive the 30% discount.

Akintola also encouraged other businesses to find ways around LOCOG’s restrictions.

He added: We have taken steps to ensure our planned window displays do not flout any of these asinine rules, but we are doing this primarily to highlight the absurdity of the fact that the British people – who are paying for these games – are at the same time being subject to ridiculous rules. Even though our window designs will be within the rules, we would not be surprised if LOCOG goes loco.”