Campaign victory with a 鈥榣andmark deal鈥� that allows construction firms to promote work on venues

Olympics

for three years

Architects and engineers have hailed a 鈥渓andmark deal鈥� to allow firms that designed and built the Olympic park to promote their work fully.

The agreement, between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the International Olympic Committee, will remove the marketing gag on firms, which prevents those involved in the construction of the 2012 venues from promoting their work on the project.

Lifting the marketing gag was a key part 黑洞社区鈥檚 2012 campaign throughout last year. The campaign - which highlighted a complaint first raised by New London Architecture chairman Peter Murray that firms could not take 鈥渄ue credit鈥� for their work - was later backed by Olympic Delivery Authority chairman Sir John Armitt. The RIBA and the Institution of Structural Engineers (ISE) also supported it with their Drop the Ban lobbying.

Under the agreement, announced on Monday, firms involved in the Games will be able to apply for a free licence to promote their 2012 work at trade shows, apply for industry awards and use their involvement in direct pitches and tenders.

The government has committed 拢2m to the BOA for the scheme. In a joint opinion piece published on Monday, prime minister David Cameron and London mayor Boris Johnson said the scheme would allow 鈥渢ens of thousands of British businesses that did such fantastic work [鈥 to get the benefits of the public recognition they deserve鈥�.

RIBA president Angela Brady said the agreement would be 鈥渁 real boost for companies big and small and enable them to really capitalise on their work in the design, delivery and legacy of the 2012 Games鈥�.

The RIBA said it would now give architects wishing to submit Olympic 2012 projects for this year鈥檚 RIBA awards an extra week to do so, with the deadline extended until 8 February.
ISE past president John Nolan said the announcement was late but 鈥渕ost welcome鈥�. 鈥淭he Olympics have received universal acclaim and are an excellent advertisement for not just 鈥楥onstruction GB鈥� but 鈥楥onstruction Design GB鈥�. The export market for the design of temporary and permanent stadiums is huge,鈥� he said.

鈥淏ritish engineers and architects now have the opportunity to showcase their excellent work and expertise in the run up to Rio 2016 and beyond.鈥�

A new website has been set up for firms to apply for a licence:

 


2012 campaign timeline

  • 6 Jan 黑洞社区 first highlights appeal to the prime minister from Peter Murray to reform the No Marketing Rights Protocol
  • 20 Jan David Cameron asks Olympics minister Hugh Robertson to examine the issue
  • 9 March Key Olympic figures publicly criticise the marketing rules at the Mipim property conference
  • 22 March British Chambers of Commerce and former Olympics minister Tessa Jowell also speak out, with Jowell citing 黑洞社区鈥檚 campaign in parliament
  • 30 March Olympic park masterplanner Jason Prior says it would be a 鈥渕assive missed opportunity鈥� if the government did not relax the rules
  • 5 July Cameron delivers a speech saying it is 鈥渧ital鈥� the Olympic marketing restrictions do not block companies from capitalising on their involvement in the Games
  • 6 July BBC News website reports on the row, highlighting 黑洞社区 2012 campaign
  • 3 Aug RIBA and ISE launch Drop the Ban campaign against the marketing rules
  • 17 Aug 黑洞社区 reveals previously unpublished letter from Robertson to Cameron sent in May promising 鈥渟wift solution鈥�
  • 28 Sep RIBA president Angela Brady repeats call for reform

 


Industry reaction

Well done 黑洞社区 for this excellent campaign. It is a pity it has taken so long, but now I hope that all the businesses that contributed to the magnificence of the Olympics - the park and the Games themselves 鈥� will benefit from the credit they brought to UK Plc.
Dame Tessa Jowell MP

It was [by] all of us joining forces together though campaigns like Drop the Ban and 黑洞社区 2012 that we were able to exert our combined strength and apply the necessary pressure on the government, IOC and BOA. Now we can start making up for the lost time.
Angela Brady, President, RIBA

I鈥檓 absolutely delighted 鈥� We are now in the enviable position of being able to promote and export our significant skills to a global audience, who will be hoping to emulate the
success of London 2012 this summer.
Jason Prior, chief executive of buildings and places, Aecom

Congratulations to 黑洞社区 for keeping up the campaign when no other publication seemed interested. It was only through the diligence of 黑洞社区 that this was brought to the attention of the national and other press.
Peter Murray, chairman, New London Architecture

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