• The Olympic Brand Police - Enforcement officers brought it to protect big business.
    35 replies, posted
I think this story is pretty sensationalised in the first place, but did OP actually edit it to make it appear worse? Quote from OP [quote=OP]Olympics organisers have warned businesses that during London 2012 their advertising should not include a list of banned words, including "gold", "silver" and "bronze", "summer", "sponsors" and "London".[/quote] Actual quote from the article [quote=The Independent]Olympics organisers have warned businesses that during London 2012 their advertising should not include a list of banned words, including "gold", "silver" and "bronze", "summer", "sponsors" and "London", [B]if they give the impression of a formal connection to the Olympics[/B]. See examples of banned and allowed advertising below.[/quote] A fairly crucial omission if you ask me. In fact, they even specifically offer several examples, which give exactly the opposite impression to the OP which implies that those words cannot be used at all under any circumstances [quote=The Independent]PROPERTY ALLOWED – Stratford Mansions. 1 & 2 bedroom flats, £220,000 to £350,000; 5 minutes’ walk to Stratford International Station; next to Olympic Park; 15 minutes commute to Canary Wharf. BANNED – Simplefields Homes. An Olympic investment not to be missed! 1 and 2 bedroom flats, luxurious fittings, 5 minutes’ walk to Stratford International Station CLOTHING ALLOWED: Landle’s speedy trainers: ‘Helping Athletes Run Faster’ BANNED: Smithers Running Shorts: ‘ Made in London 2012’ HAIR ALLOWED: Advert for hair gel featuring a famous Olympic athlete showing career highlights with the tag-line: ‘Some people create magic which can make your hair stand on end. We’ve bottled it.’ BANNED: A hair gel ad showing athletic images and a runner receiving a medal outside a London 2012 venue with the words: ‘Is the excitement of the 2012 Games making the hairs on your neck stand on end. Use our gel to make sure your head matches.” GENERAL ALLOWED: The Tower of London Gold Jewels Exhibition 2012 BANNED: Smithers Jewellers, supporting the London Games. PUBS: ALLOWED: A blackboard sign outside the Red Lion saying: ‘Watch the Olympic Games here with a cold beer… Live coverage all day.’ BANNED: Brewer’s posters displayed outside the Red Lion with the message: Grogglington’s Bitter: Watch the Olympics here’ MEDIA: ALLOWED: A newspaper article about an athlete qualifying to compete in the Olympics headlined: ‘Olympic triumph’. BANNED: A newspaper advertorial headlined: ‘Olympic inspiration’ with pictures of a brand and references to the Olympics inspiring a product.[/quote]
If corporations of different sizes are not allowed to compete against each other, then the entire basis of a free market collapses. This shouldn't even be allowed. What about a small family owned pizza shop. If they started selling "Gold Winners Delight", would they be sent down a tunnel of bankruptcy and lawsuits? That's awful! Might as well not even have a free market and only have government regulated stores so that companies will no longer need to have Discounts, low prices or competitive drive to beat the competition.
[QUOTE=smurfy;36810602]I think this story is pretty sensationalised in the first place, but did OP actually edit it to make it appear worse? Quote from OP Actual quote from the article A fairly crucial omission if you ask me. In fact, they even specifically offer several examples, which give exactly the opposite impression to the OP which implies that those words cannot be used at all under any circumstances[/QUOTE] No, I didn't edit it. I believe the Independent updated their article. To prove I didn't mean to be sensationalist, I'll update the OP with your info.
Everyone loves to be negative about the Olympics just like Euro 2012 which went really well regardless of all the bad press before the event.
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