News

London 2012 begins the search for mascots

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today began the process of creating mascots for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012 by inviting the creative industry to register interest in designing what will become some of the key visual icons of the London Games.

The mascots will be brought to life in many different ways, including in toy form, on clothing, in film and animation, on the gaming and digital platforms and in physical form. London's design will reflect the 'best of British' and reflect the London 2012 brand - ambitious, bold and creative. LOCOG is seeking industry recognised creative services companies - or consortia - which specialise in the development, launch and marketing of this kind of product. Interested parties are being urged to seek further information and details of how to apply online at www.london2012.com/business. The first stage of the process is to register on the CompeteFor website, which is the online 'dating agency' for matching potential suppliers with Games-related business opportunities. Launched at the beginning of 2008, CompeteFor allows for an open and transparent procurement process and enables businesses to have access to all relevant business opportunities between now and 2012 - for both LOCOG and the ODA. Key to a successful application will be demonstrating public involvement or engagement in the mascot development. The successful agency will also be expected to develop a full marketing and communication plan to support the launch of the mascot. Both the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will have separate and distinct mascots. From 'Waldi', the stripey Daschund which was the first official mascot from the Munich Games in 1972, through to the 'Fuwa', the five mascots of the Beijing Olympic Games, mascots have played an increasingly important role in the delivery of a Games. The introduction of a mascot is one of the highlights in the journey to the Games and now plays a vital role in raising revenue, as LOCOG seek to raise the £2bn required to stage the Games in 2012. London 2012 Commercial Director Chris Townsend commented: "Those of us lucky enough to go to Beijing this summer saw first hand the magic of the mascots - whether it was the soft toy version, entertainment at a venue or simply photo opportunities at the airport. They help set the tone for the Games and we're very excited about kicking this process off today. Fun and games aside, the mascot programme will be a key component of our licensing plan and will be a strong revenue driver as we seek to raise the £2bn required to stage a Games in 2012.

This country is home to - in my view - the world's best creative industry and this is an opportunity for them to play a key role in making the Games both memorable and a great success."

Posted by:

CreativeBath

Sector:

Other

Tags:

art, creative-agencies-sought, design, olympics