Report: Rundown of Olympic & London 2012 Sponsors

By Ismail Uddin

Worldwide Olympic Partners: TOP stands for The Olympic Partners programme. Created in 1985, the TOP programme, managed by the IOC, is the only sponsorship with the exclusive worldwide marketing rights to both Winter and Summer Games.  

Coca-Cola 

Partnership Began: 1928

Contract Ends: 2020

First introduced in 1886, Coca-Cola is a major player in the soft drink industry and now reaches consumers in over 200 countries. 

Coca-Cola first got involved in the Olympics in 1928 when the drinks company delivered the U.S. Olympic Team 1,000 cases of Coca-Cola to the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games.

Since then Coke re-established their partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2005 for a further 12 years starting in 2009. They will be a worldwide partner until 2020 making their partnership run an unprecedented 92 years, the longest serving continuous partner in Olympic history. 

Coca‑Cola is a Worldwide Partner of The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay. 

Acer 

Partnership Began: January 2009

Contract Ends: 2012

Acer, a major technology manufacturer was founded in 1976. The Acer Group employs 8,000 people worldwide. Revenues for 2010 reached US$19.9 billion. 

Acer became a worldwide sponsor on the 1 January 2009 for Vancouver 2010 and London 2012. 

As an Olympic Worldwide Partner, Acer is providing the IT infrastructure for the London Olympics. The company is providing 11,500 desktop PCs, 2,000 touchscreen monitors, 1,100 laptops, 900 servers and 350 technicians for the upcoming games 

Acer said: “By joining the Olympic Games, we take our commitment to sport to the very highest level, providing innovative and dependable computing equipment to support the organization and the staging of the Olympic Games.” 

About London 2012, Acer added: “At the Olympic venues, our technicians will provide ground supports to the PC infrastructure, thus ensuring that all our equipment runs smoothly and delivers all the excitement of the Olympic Games to people the world over.” 

Dow

Partnership Began: July 2010

Contract Ends: 2020 

Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high-growth sectors such as electronics, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of USD 45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. 

Dow became a Worldwide Olympic Partner in July 2010, the official “Chemistry Company” of the Olympic Movement through to 2020 which has caused a lot of controversy. 

The problem stems from Dow’s ownership of Union Carbide, which it bought in 2000, 16 years after Union’s plant in Bhopal had a gas leak that “killed an estimated 15,000 people and injured half a million.” 

For London 2012 they will produce a sustainable, fabric “wrap” that will encircle London’s iconic Olympic Stadium. 

George Hamilton, vice president of Dow Olympic Operations, said: “Our goal is to provide solutions that help make the Olympic Games more sustainable, safer and that will help improve performance.” 

Atos

Partnership Began: 2001

Contract Ends: 2016

Atos is an international information technology (IT) services company. 

The company became a Worldwide Olympic Partner when it joined the TOP Programme as SchlumbergerSema in 2001. Atos helped open the Technology Operations Centre at London 2012 the”mission control” for all 94 Olympic competition and non-competition venues. 

For the London Games, Atos expects to process 30% more results data than in Beijing ensuring the world’s media meets the increasing demand of fans for information as it happens. With 15 billion PCs, smart phones and tablets predicted to be connected to the internet by the summer of 2012, the London Games are set to be the biggest smart Games ever. 

GE

Partnership Began: 2005

Contract Ends: 2020 

General Electric is an advanced technology and services company who are the official healthcare partner of London 2012. 

GE renewed their partnership with the IOC in July 2011 to include the 2020 Olympic Games. 

GE have provided state-of-the-art medical equipment that will be used to treat athletes at a world-class health facility during the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

McDonald’s

Partnership Began: 1968

Contract Ends: 2020

McDonald’s is the leading foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants serving quality food to nearly 50 million customers in more than 100 countries each day. 

McDonald’s commitment to the Olympic Movement began in 1968, when the company airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes in Grenoble, France, after they reported being homesick for American food. Since then, McDonald’s has served its menu of choice and variety to millions of athletes, their families and fans. 

For London 2012 McDonald’s have built four new Olympic venue restaurants in The Olympic Park featuring the latest European restaurant designs. One will be located in the Olympic Village to feed the athletes, one for the media in the Main Press Center, and two for spectators. 

McDonald’s is also the first-ever presenting partner for the ‘Games Maker’ programme.  LOCOG is tapping into McDonald’s expertise in people development to help attract and train up to 70,000 people who will be volunteering to make the Games a success. 

Omega

Partnership Began: 1932

Contract Ends: 2020 

Omega is one of The Swatch Group Ltd’s 18 watch brands. The Swatch Group Ltd., which has its headquarters in Biel, Switzerland, is the largest manufacturer and distributor of finished watches in the world. 

In Los Angeles in 1932, Omega became the first company to be entrusted with the timing of the Olympic Games. In 2009 they signed an extension with the IOC to 2020. 

For London 2012 they will continue to be the Olympic timekeeper for the 25 time which also marks their 80 anniversary sponsoring the games. 

Panasonic

Partnership Began: 1984

Contract Ends: 2016 

Panasonic began its involvement with the Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles as the supplier of the professional sound system and large video display for the main stadium. The company became a Worldwide Olympic Partner in 1987 when it joined the TOP Programme as a charter member. 

For London 2012 Panasonic will help provide equipment and technology to enable the first ever live 3D coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

P&G

Partnership Began: 2010

Contract Ends: 2020 

P&G is a leading consumer product company. 

They partnered with the IOC in 2010 where they became an official Olympic worldwide partner in the “personal care and household products” category through to 2020, including for the London 2012 Olympic Games. P&G will also partner the IOC and the National Olympic Committees around the world. 

P&G Global Marketing and Brand Building Officer, Marc Pritchard said: “This partnership will allow us to continue building our business around the globe by offering all of our brands an opportunity to leverage the marketing power of the Olympic Movement. 

Samsung

Partnership Began: 1997

Contract Ends: 2016

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in telecommunication technology. 

Samsung became a Worldwide Olympic Partner when it joined the TOP Programme in 1997 under the category of wireless telecommunications equipment.

Samsung provides wireless telecommunications equipment to the Olympic Family to support the operations of staging the Olympic Games. 

For London 2012 Samsung partnered with Visa to bring mobile contactless payments to London as part of their support of the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

Visa

Partnership Began: 1986

Contract Ends: 2020 

Visa is a leader in Internet based payments, generating more than three trillion U.S. dollars in annual card sales volume. 

Visa is the exclusive payment card and the official payment system for the Olympic Games.

In addition to providing payment services to Organising Committees and Olympic spectators, Visa International has developed a tradition of programmes that support Olympic athletes in many countries, as well as programmes that teach the youth of the world about the history, values and ideals of the Olympic Movement.