Organiser Locog has imposed a six-week blackout from 15 March, when tickets go on sale, on all sponsor communic-ations promoting ticket offers.
Over this period, Locog will advertise that tickets for the Games have gone on sale. The only brand allowed to communicate a tickets message before the period ends is Thomas Cook, official provider of short breaks to London 2012.
Key sponsors, including BT, Visa and watchmaker Omega, are gearing up for major campaigns based on ticket offers as soon as restrictions are lifted.
‘Sponsors that [use] the momentum from the sales process and hit the market right after 26 April will have an advantage [over] those that wait,’ said Lili Leung, managing partner at sports agency Helios Partners.
Tim Crow, managing director at sponsorship consultancy Synergy, added that, like previous Olympics, there would be a wave of promotions around London 2012 in the post-ticket release period.
‘In host countries, [this] window usually prompts many Olympic sponsors to create a campaign spike, because it’s a moment when the host nation begins to feel that the Olympics is within touching distance. I think we’ll see that happen in the UK too,’ he said.
Separately, Heineken is due to be revealed as the official beer supplier of London 2012. It will supply alcohol to hospitality outlets at the Stratford site, as well as being granted marketing rights at the Games.
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