黑洞社区

The chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority has said firms needed to use their imagination rather than complain about the strict Olympic no marketing protocols.

The rules on marketing, laid down by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), are designed to protect exclusivity for official sponsors but have prompted complaints that they prevent construction firms from promoting their work on the Games.

But this week Sir John Armitt told 黑洞社区 that contractors could work around the rules.

鈥淚n many ways I think the complaining is all a bit overdone. It just needs a bit of imagination,鈥� he said.

黑洞社区 reported last month that the prime minister has asked Olympics minister Hugh Robertson to look into complaints that firms involved in building London鈥檚 Olympic park are being prevented from taking 鈥渄ue credit鈥�.

This followed a call-to-arms on the issue by Peter Murray, New London Architecture boss, in 黑洞社区. Firms such as Olympic stadium engineer Buro Happold backed Murray鈥檚 complaint that LOCOG is being unduly strict in protecting the marketing rights of sponsor firms such as Populous and Atkins.

But Armitt said the protocol did not prevent the media from reporting on a firm鈥檚 involvement in the Games.

鈥淔irms can鈥檛 take out a two-page centre spread with the Olympic rings and logo over the top of their company name, but I can鈥檛 imagine that鈥檚 what they want to do anyway,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e have to recognise that many companies have spent millions of pounds as formal sponsors and it鈥檚 not fair on them if anyone else can jump on bandwagon using the Olympic logos.鈥�