Marketers unsure of Olympic marketing restrictions

The Marketing Trends Survey from the Chartered Institute of Marketing has revealed that marketers are still unsure of the legal restrictions surrounding the Olympic Games and have lost enthusiasm.

The survey, conducted by Ipsos Mori, showed that three years after the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act was published in 2006, most marketers still lack awareness about the legality of Olympic-related marketing activities.

43 per cent said they had 'no understanding' at all of the Act, three percentage points up from 12 months ago, and the same proportion said they only had a 'very poor' or 'poor' understanding of the Act.

Only 13 per cent described their knowledge as 'good'.

Interest in undertaking marketing activities connected to the London Olympic Games is at its lowest since September 2006.

18 per cent now say that they are 'certain' or 'very likely' to undertake some activities, down five percentage points from 12 months ago, and 32 per cent are 'certain not to' or 'not at all likely'.

The most willing to take on some marketing activities are larger companies, those with more than GBP100m turnover (29 per cent say they are 'certain to' or 'very likely') and those based in the south (25 per cent).

Optimism about the Olympic Games having a positive effect on the British economy has touched an all-time low since September 2005.

Now, 65 per cent think the London Olympic Games of 2012 will have a positive impact on the British economy, 23 percentage points below the peak in September 2006 (88 per cent).

Even lower (60 per cent) is the proportion of those who think the Olympic Games will generate a positive perception of the UK around the world.

This perception tends to be consistent across all company sectors and sizes, with the only exception of marketers working for very large organisations (more than GBP100m turnover), where 68 per cent think the Olympic Games will generate a positive perception of the UK.

David Thorp, director of research and professional development at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, said: 'The 2012 London Olympic Games should be a fantastic opportunity for UK marketers to participate and raise their profile worldwide, but with sponsorship limited to a select few global brands the vast majority of UK plc is likely to miss out.

'Those marketers planning activities must be fully aware of the Olympic Games Act, otherwise we are likely to see a string of court cases brought against the ill-informed.

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