Blog buzz over new London 2012 logo launch
London 2012 are to launch their new brand and logo on Monday and are attempting to use a bit of blogosphere buzz to generate a bit of heat around it.
Those who are being given one clue per day (it is day two today) which leads them to a blog or social networking site where there is a video trailer which gives a hint to the βstory of the brandβ.
In the words of the PR guy who emailed me to tell me about the campaign, βthe 2012 brand will embrace a lot of the principles of participation and democratisation familiar to those us in the blogosphere and in keeping with that, the 2012 people have agreed to launch the brand into the blogosphere before it is unveiled to an auditorium full of VIPs and the world's media.β
For yesterdayβs clue I had to find: βthe London-based blog (which) is passionate about its unique, biting brand of music, movie, TV, videogame and celebrity news, gossip and reviewsβ.
I was introduced to as a result β but couldnβt find the video though I didnβt have time to try very hard I admit.
Still, better luck today when I found .
The idea is somewhat contrived β and I realise probably not aimed at someone at the wrong end of the 30s like myselfβ¦
But it is an interesting attempt to do something innovative that taps into the proliferation of new types of websites and functionality ().
I know in America, similar marketing methods are being increasingly used to some effect (although there is also some which has led to ).
And after speaking to the guy leading 2012βs new media set up - , who has an impressive web pedigree having been instrumental in the set up of the Guardian websites and β it is clear the organisers β like ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Sport as the official broadcaster - are acutely aware how the changing digital landscape may radically affect our experience of the Games in 2012 - and the journey towards them.
And in particular the need to engage with young people (who this element of the campaign is undoubtedly aimed at I guess), who studies apparently show feel very removed from the Olympics, seeing it as a very distant, once-every-four years multi-discipline event.
Still, my best understanding of the brand to be launched on Monday came from a plain old face-to-face conversation with the marketing chief Chris Denny.
The brand ambition will be βto boost the image of the city and the country, to change peopleβs attitudes about sport and this country, to move people, to leverage change in the way we deliver sport - to create a new kind of games.β
You will also probably hear a lot about the L word - legacy. Legacy for the country, for east London and for each of the 26 sports being contested.
Denny said unlike , London 2012 had been through a lengthy and painstaking brainstorming process before identifying theirs.
He said they were after something "that would capture the hearts and minds of everyone, give them an emotional attachment" - in the same with their simple apple logo.
I am genuinely intrigued to see what they come up with - call me naΓ―ve, but I really am excited already.
