The new Olympic emblem is based on the number 2012 – the year of the Games – and includes the Olympic Rings, one of the world's most recognised brands, and the word ‘London' – the world's most diverse city. The same 2012 image, with the Paralympic agitos, symbolises the Paralympic Games.
The emblem, which will be available in four colours – pink, blue, green and orange –replaces London's `Candidate City' logo, established in November 2003. It already enjoys legal protection, offering London 2012 and its sponsors protection from copying and ambush marketing.
The design brief was for an emblem that represented the four key ‘brand pillars' of access, participation, stimulation and inspiration, culminating in the brand vision of ‘Everyone's Games'.
“London 2012 will be Everyone's Games, everyone's 2012. This is the vision at the very heart of our brand. It will define the venues we build and the Games we hold and act as a reminder of our promise to use the Olympic spirit to inspire everyone and reach out to young people around the world. It is an invitation to take part and be involved,” said Coe.
London 2012 will encourage active participation involving people in a whole range of Games activities from community activities and volunteering to sporting and cultural events. It will inspire young people and connect them to sport by putting the inspirational values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on the school curriculum. London 2012 will be a Games for a connected world, making the most of new technology to get people closer to the action they want to see, when, where and how they want to experience it.
The new emblem is intended to be dynamic, modern and flexible, reflecting a brand-savvy world where people, especially young people, no longer relate to static logos but respond to a dynamic brand that works with new technology and across traditional and new media networks.
For the first time for a Host City, the new emblems for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are based on the same core shape, reflecting London's commitment to hosting a truly integrated Paralympic Games.
The launch of the new brand took place at The Roundhouse in Camden, North London. The new London 2012 film, Everyone's 2012 was screened for the first time, highlighting how the Games are already capturing the imagination of people around the country, inspiring them to make positive changes in their lives on the road to 2012. The film was released simultaneously on the Internet to thousands of bloggers who signed up to a blog-based online ‘tease' campaign.
The new emblem will be the symbol of a nationwide ‘pledge' campaign, developing the ‘Everyone's Games' theme, to be launched during the London 2012 Summer Roadshow, which starts on 15 June in Greenwich, London, and will visit every nation and region throughout the UK in a ten week tour.
The ‘pledge' campaign will encourage people to use the inspiration of the Games to make a positive change to their lives and challenge themselves, or others, to be inspired by the Olympic spirit.
The new London 2012 brand has been approved by the International Olympic Committee.
For more information, go to www.london2012.com and http://blog.london2012.com.
