STAN FREBERG HERE...Too Many Proud Olympic Sponsors? Maybe.
Stan Freberg here. Does it seem to you there's just a few too many advertisers who are the "proud sponsors of the 1996 Olympics"? Hey, money talks! Be right back. [:60 SPOT BREAK]
My friend, Bruce Horowitz of USA Today, reports that nearly 180 companies and brands will spend 750 million for the rights to call themselves Olympic sponsors. He reports that's just for openers. Marketers can spend an additional 4 billion cozying up to the Atlanta games. To illustrate, he reports that there may be at this moment, swimming in your kids' bowl of "Lucky Charms" cereal, marshmallow Olympic torches. He's not kidding.
The biggest spender is "Coke," which is made in Atlanta. This prompted a cartoon by Mike Lukovich. Against the backdrop of the Olympic Stadium, with a sign reading "Atlanta - Home of Coke," an athlete is seen carrying his suitcases. Another athlete is saying, "He has to leave the Atlanta Games. What banned substance did he test positive for?" And another athlete says, "Pepsi."
But McDonald's is no slouch. They may be only the 4th largest spender, but they somehow managed a subliminal message that puts them ahead of everybody. In the opening ceremony after the Olympic flame high atop the stadium was lit, in its huge red container, my wife Donna said to me, "Look! It's a McDonald's french fry holder!" And she's right--take a look at it!
Is this just a coincidence?
Stan Freberg here.
Copyright ©1996, Stan Freberg/Freberg, Ltd. (but not very) Distributed by Dick Brescia Associates and Radio Spirits, Inc.