The man responsible for transforming the Olympic movement into a multi-billion-pound enterprise has criticised London 2012 organisers for “going too far” to protect sponsors
‘I can imagine the Queen intervening to post bail’ said Michael Payne (on Olympic infringements by Kate Middleton’s family web site
The policing of marketing scofflaws stems from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, which have come to be defined by their commercial excess and an infamous ambush marketing campaign by Nike, which was not an official sponsor.
“All this was designed to do was stop a major brand from getting a free ride and keep a city from turning the streets into a third world flea market,” Payne said. “It wasn’t intended to stop the local sausage maker from putting homemade sausages in rings.”
Payne, the former IOC marketing director, said some brand protection is absolutely necessary, despite his criticism of the short-sighted way the rules are sometimes applied.
”It’s not just a glib marketing statement to say no sponsors, no games,” Payne said. “It’s the fact.”