The agency won the account, which has been termed a "legacy brief", following a pitch against undisclosed agencies.
The process was handled by Charles Allen, the chairman of the Nations and Regions Group, a collection of representatives from UK business and sporting networks that was set up to guarantee the benefits of the Olympics.
Saatchi & Saatchi will now devise a strategy that will communicate the positive long-term effects of the Games in a bid to ensure that the British public does not perceive the event to be an expensive one-off spectacle.
The campaign will also seek to galvanise London communities affected by the Games along with the general British public by creating a social legacy for the event.
The benefits of sporting activities and a healthy lifestyle will feature in the campaign.
The NRG is part of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, which is separately running a pitch for the 2012 advertising account.
The winner of that pitch will take on the above- and below-the-line communications for the Games in the run-up to 2012, working on LOCOG's key initiatives and events, as well as ticket marketing.
Comments
I was under the impression that the British public already thought that the olympics was a one off expensive \(well over budget and we the public are paying for it) spectacle-really they should be promoting to change perception?!?
It really grates me when these articles come out, so much ignorance....
Sha. Until you see the work produced and executed you shouldn't be so quick to judge. I know for certain that the winning work does a great deal of uniting in communities and if all of the work is given the go-ahead then it will win many awards.
The work may be wonderful. But let's not delude ourselves - the Olympics won't unite communities or suddenly become less of a waste of money just because of some Saatchi creative \(which let's face it is probably very predictable)
Up here in Scotland the London Olympics have about as much relevance as a Pearly Queen...but we're still having to pay for it. Doubt any adverts will unite us about it. And I gues we're paying for the ads as well.
Down here in England, Will, we have to pay for your free prescriptions, free education, free care for the elderly so I'd stop moaning if I were you.
But, always good to see the traditional xenophobia in action from our friends North of the Border.
Surely some mistake? It is usually M&C Saatchi who manage to wangle such wins via 'contacts' eg The Dome.
Clearly Lord S has taken his eye off the ball. It cracks me up the way all jobs & contracts for 2012 are being handed out 3 YEARS before the actual event.
I dread to think what the budget for 3 years of propaganda is going to be- but whatever it is, it will get lost in the rounding of the rest of the Olympic budget overspend.
And to think, all this for a 2 week event which will long gone before we have all paid for it.
Perhaps the comments so far on this topic indicate just why such a communications project is needed? Come on Britain, the Olympics are going to be here in 2012, whether a vocal minority wants to carp or not. I am not embarrassed to say I am proud we are hosting the next Games and I am certain there are valuable long-term benefits to be gained. Let's get past that depressingly 'British' negativity so that we each play our part in making this an opportunity our country will be proud of and benefit from.
To Will's point above - it would be fantastic if Chris Hoy rode his bike wearing a pearly queen jacket in the opening round to show a unity in the Kingdom and then serve up a thrashing in the final wearing a kilt, turban and a daffodil in his sporran to celebrate the mad beauty of the UK I think.
(in a well constructed sustainable re-purposeable local community resource inspiring piece of architecture resounding with memories in years to come)
Comments
Sha Hussain - 22/01/2009
I was under the impression that the British public already thought that the olympics was a one off expensive \(well over budget and we the public are paying for it) spectacle-really they should be promoting to change perception?!? It really grates me when these articles come out, so much ignorance....
I am Fartacus! - 22/01/2009
Sha. Until you see the work produced and executed you shouldn't be so quick to judge. I know for certain that the winning work does a great deal of uniting in communities and if all of the work is given the go-ahead then it will win many awards.
Gary Shannon - 22/01/2009
The work may be wonderful. But let's not delude ourselves - the Olympics won't unite communities or suddenly become less of a waste of money just because of some Saatchi creative \(which let's face it is probably very predictable)
will atkinson - 22/01/2009
Up here in Scotland the London Olympics have about as much relevance as a Pearly Queen...but we're still having to pay for it. Doubt any adverts will unite us about it. And I gues we're paying for the ads as well.
jezwaspsrule - 22/01/2009
Down here in England, Will, we have to pay for your free prescriptions, free education, free care for the elderly so I'd stop moaning if I were you.
Clarence Bass - 22/01/2009
But, always good to see the traditional xenophobia in action from our friends North of the Border.
Flekkygirl - 22/01/2009
Surely some mistake? It is usually M&C Saatchi who manage to wangle such wins via 'contacts' eg The Dome. Clearly Lord S has taken his eye off the ball. It cracks me up the way all jobs & contracts for 2012 are being handed out 3 YEARS before the actual event. I dread to think what the budget for 3 years of propaganda is going to be- but whatever it is, it will get lost in the rounding of the rest of the Olympic budget overspend. And to think, all this for a 2 week event which will long gone before we have all paid for it.
Mark King - 23/01/2009
Perhaps the comments so far on this topic indicate just why such a communications project is needed? Come on Britain, the Olympics are going to be here in 2012, whether a vocal minority wants to carp or not. I am not embarrassed to say I am proud we are hosting the next Games and I am certain there are valuable long-term benefits to be gained. Let's get past that depressingly 'British' negativity so that we each play our part in making this an opportunity our country will be proud of and benefit from.
charlie robertson - 23/01/2009
To Will's point above - it would be fantastic if Chris Hoy rode his bike wearing a pearly queen jacket in the opening round to show a unity in the Kingdom and then serve up a thrashing in the final wearing a kilt, turban and a daffodil in his sporran to celebrate the mad beauty of the UK I think. (in a well constructed sustainable re-purposeable local community resource inspiring piece of architecture resounding with memories in years to come)