Olympic Athletes Requested to Cover Apple Logos During Opening Ceremony Because of Samsung Sponsorship [Updated]

[lobeyonekenobi]

Please show me where the athletes are prohibited from using their phones. And if only all of the worlds problems could be so trivial as arguing about covering a logo.

I agree this is the IOC enforcing these rules judging by what the article says, some people get it some don't, but why do you feel the need to re-iterate the point from Page 1-17 or whatever this page is, take a sip of ABSOLUT vodka and COCA-COLA proud sponsors of MACRUMOURS.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I agree this is the IOC enforcing these rules judging by what the article says, some people get it some don't, but why do you feel the need to re-iterate the point from Page 1-17 or whatever this page is, take a sip of ABSOLUT vodka and COCA-COLA proud sponsors of MACRUMOURS.

Because it appears that the majority of the people posting in this thread haven't read the article.

 

[69Mustang]

People normally wouldn't care. But I think more will once this article hits (and I already see this article circulating around outside of pro-Apple forums and discussion thread. It's only a matter of time before it hits normal news websites.

People will care as much as they did in 2012 London or any of the previous Olympics. No one on this forum remembers the same thing happens at every Olympics. The only reason it's mentioned on this forum is Apple and without another post mentioning it, by Monday, this will be forgotten as well.

 

[thehustleman]

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Olympic athletes are being asked by Samsung to cover any Apple logos on their devices during the Parade of Nations at the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony because Samsung is a lead worldwide sponsor of the Games.

The report, from a Swiss site (via SlashGear) [Translate], does not go into much detail on the request, but reports it as a condition of Samsung's sponsorship. From SlashGear: Olympic athletes are controversially banned from mentioning any non-sponsor products during their time at the Olympics, including on social media and clothing.

All accredited competitors, coaches, trainers and officials are required to abide by Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter, preventing athletes from mentioning any non-Olympic sponsor companies. Athletes breaking Rule 40 can be punished with "removal of accreditation and financial penalties" or even total disqualification. The IOC has said on numerous occasions that protecting sponsors is of paramount importance because, without them, there could be no Games.

It's not entirely clear if this "Rule 40" was used as the reason for the ban on competitor logos. MacRumors has reached out to the United States Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee, and Samsung for comment but has yet to receive any response.

Article Link: Olympic Athletes Requested to Cover Apple Logos During Opening Ceremony Because of Samsung Sponsorship

Smart move.

If apple did it, everyone would talk about how smart it is.

Fact is it's sponsored by Samsung so yes, Samsung will be the main attraction.

 

[samcraig]

The OP mentioned that Samsung had been "helping" with the Olympics and Apple should "help" too. He also said Samsung had "paid for" which is correct. But to mention Apple should use it's billions to also "help" sends a message that someone thinks Apple owes somebody some help. They don't owe anyone anything except their shareholders.

You're making a straw man argument where there is none. The poster you quoted never said anything about any sponsor "helping ANYONE out of the goodness of their heart"

 

[Consultant]

At least Samsung can take credit for this:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...887.1073741828.126993540819316&type=1&theater

 

[AppleScruff1]

I wonder why Renzatic hasn't made an appearance in this thread yet? He must be over in Russia handing out the Samsung goodie bags.

 

[Nunyabinez]

And it's silly for you to believe that Samsung had nothing to do with it.

On a different note I wonder if the athletes came in with HTC Phones or the Nokia Lumina would the request be made to have them cover it up?
From so many Android lovers out here I was under the impression that Apple's phones were the underdog so that shouldn't be an issue, but I guess that was hyperbole.

You mean like asking the IOC to remind people of the longstanding rule that has been used and enforced for all the recent Olympics for all the major sponsors in light of the fact that Samsung gave away a product worth hundreds of dollars to every athlete?

Yes, you're right they probably did that.

And BTW all this is being generated from a sloppily written Swiss blog that was very short on any actual details of what happened.

 

[springsup]

I think it was London where the opening ceremony was basically a 3 hour Apple ad. Was pretty funny.

I think you mean Samsung ad. Seriously, the amount of prominent flashes of Samsung devices in the opening ceremony was sickening. I don't remember any other Olympics ceremony being that in-your-face about advertising.

Especially since the entire events are government-subsidised; there was loads of talk about how much it was going to cost to build the stadiums, and how much the opening/closing ceremonies would cost. Didn't see sponsors jumping in then; I thought the host city paid for the ceremonies. There shouldn't be any sponsorship requirements then, because the sponsors aren't paying for that.

Sponsorship at the Olympics is just crazy/weird. I mean: most of the tickets are very expensive, and the host city has to front the cost of the facilities and ceremonies. Then there's the conflict between individual sponsorships and team sponsorships (like when team GB had members sponsored by Nike when the team was sponsored by Adidas; they were each threatening to sue the team/athletes or force them to collect their medals bare-foot during the Olympics in London).

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Smart move.

If apple did it, everyone would talk about how smart it is.

Fact is it's sponsored by Samsung so yes, Samsung will be the main attraction.

Silly me, thinking the sports were the main attraction.

Seriously, the so in-your-face advertising by Samsung (not by other sponsors such as Coca Cola) was the main thing wrong with the opening ceremony in London.

 

[krravi]

All this noise? What would you say about David Letterman show then?

I love synths and anytime I try to see what synth Paul Schaffer is using the names on the synths are all covered black!

So Samsung isn't the only one doing this. It's all over !

 

[apolloa]

Yeah, but you can't just expect the to throw away their iphones, the phones which they have been using for some time and are very comfortable with, and expect them to just pick up a new OS there and then. Of course they are going to be uncomfortable with a new interface and having to relearn everything. Isn't that just one more avenue of stress at a time when they should really be focusing on the competition at hand?

What if they don't want to use the Note3 phones and want to use their iPhones? Are those even valid grounds for disqualifying the athletes?

I understand that as an advertiser, you naturally want maximum bang for your buck and don't want to give free coverage of competing brands. But it seems that this sort of heavy-handedness will just end up sending the opposite message. In the end, it's really go to turn around and bite Samsung in their backsides.

Which just goes to show that a strong brand name and powerful mindshare is something you earn over time with wonderful products that look great and work great, not something you can just buy by throwing money and sponsoring random events.

sigh..... as I said PEOPLE WHO CANNOT READ!!!! STOP READING THE COMMENTS SECTION ONLY!!! READ THE DAMN STORY FIRST!

 

[Renzatic]

I wonder why Renzatic hasn't made an appearance in this thread yet? He must be over in Russia handing out the Samsung goodie bags.

That's the main reason. The other?

...well, there's really no other way to put it...

...some of the responses I've been reading here are kinda scary, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to get involved. The whole thread feels a little too uncomfortably close to the first stages of a particularly bad soccer riot. All it'll take is the wrong person glancing over and seeing a Galaxy phone, then...BAM! We're all suddenly living out that one scene from The Hunger Games.

 

[JBinCalifornia]

Ummmmm -- Korea's attempt to off other olympians?

Well, there's a chance some Sammy devices' batteries would explode . . . !

Galaxy S4 Catches Fire, Samsung Tries to Silence Customer
(aka Part 2: "Samsung, go f&*^ yourself . . .")
http://www.maximumpc.com/galaxy_s4_catches_fire_samsung_tries_silence_customer_2013

Remember, it's winter, so maybe they'll warm everyone up!

 

[apolloa]

At least Samsung can take credit for this:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...887.1073741828.126993540819316&type=1&theater

Along with Visa and Panasonic and CocaCola who can ALL take just as much credit, which makes you what exactly then? If you use those products? Must mean you support Russia's human rights if you use any of those products right?

 

[mrxak]

I think it was London where the opening ceremony was basically a 3 hour Apple ad. Was pretty funny.

Yeah, I remember that. It was remarkable how virtually every athlete was carrying an Apple iPhone or iPad. It seemed silly that Apple was broadcasting those Genius ads during the games when the athletes from all over the world were doing a better job advertising Apple for free.

 

[apolloa]

I must be really weird or something, because all I can remember from the London Olympics opening ceremony, was the opening ceremony, I don't remember ONE shred of advertising by anyone.

I feel sorry for those who only remember the branding they saw.

 

[ani4ani]

I think you mean Samsung ad. Seriously, the amount of prominent flashes of Samsung devices in the opening ceremony was sickening. I don't remember any other Olympics ceremony being that in-your-face about advertising.

Especially since the entire events are government-subsidised; there was loads of talk about how much it was going to cost to build the stadiums, and how much the opening/closing ceremonies would cost. Didn't see sponsors jumping in then; I thought the host city paid for the ceremonies. There shouldn't be any sponsorship requirements then, because the sponsors aren't paying for that.

Sponsorship at the Olympics is just crazy/weird. I mean: most of the tickets are very expensive, and the host city has to front the cost of the facilities and ceremonies. Then there's the conflict between individual sponsorships and team sponsorships (like when team GB had members sponsored by Nike when the team was sponsored by Adidas; they were each threatening to sue the team/athletes or force them to collect their medals bare-foot during the Olympics in London).

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Silly me, thinking the sports were the main attraction.

Seriously, the so in-your-face advertising by Samsung (not by other sponsors such as Coca Cola) was the main thing wrong with the opening ceremony in London.

For certain, silly you! You have no idea what you're talking about. Who do you think pays for these events? These companies spend $milions in sponsoring (subsidizing) these events and in return the IOC provides exclusivity. Samsung would have asked for nothing, if anyone asked for anything at all.

My company was a Tier 2 sponsor at the London Olympics (we sponsored the GB rowing team, google away) and we were involved in numerous elements of the infrastructure, however because our main competitor was a Tuer 1 sponsor, we were (and still are) prohibited to refer to or make any reference to the Olympics in any of our advertising or marketing - IOC rules, not at the request of our competitor. The London Olympics were known as a "large event taking place in London in 2012" to us!

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

Just pixelate all the devices? That could be done on live TV right? When people are holding them up in the crowds, it'll look like everyone is flipping them the bird when their hands are blocked out.

 

[ceva321]

Wow really who cares? Every athlete will get a free note3? now that is something to celebrate. Gold medal for Samsung

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

But that is an odd request since it seems like every competitor that compares their device in advertising is using the iPhone/iPad as a comparison. Just always seems like it turns out to be an Apple ad.

 

[dec.]

Wow really who cares? Every athlete will get a free note3? now that is something to celebrate. Gold medal for Samsung

Yes they are the Mother Teresa of Tech and do it purely for charity.

Funny thread (at least it kept some people busy...) I think that there is some misunderstanding - the article could be interpreted in the way that Samsung are the initiators of the "put a sticker on your Apple or die!" thing, maybe that's what "confused" some individuals .

I haven't read the original ruling, I'm still searching for it... but going strictly by the wording of this

"All accredited competitors, coaches, trainers and officials are required to abide by Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter, preventing athletes from mentioning any non-Olympic sponsor companies. Athletes breaking Rule 40 can be punished with "removal of accreditation and financial penalties" or even total disqualification. The IOC has said on numerous occasions that protecting sponsors is of paramount importance because, without them, there could be no Games."

I find it questionable that the usage of a non-sponsored phone in public without mentioning the brand explicitly would break those rules.

 

[LagunaSol]

You're making a straw man argument where there is none. The poster you quoted never said anything about any sponsor "helping ANYONE out of the goodness of their heart"

It certainly was implied in the original message. Hence the word "help."

"Samsung helps the Olympics. Why can't Apple help the Olympics too?" That was the clear implication.

 

[Spacewiz]

Why I long ago stopped watching the Olympics

Much bigger issue than Samsung vs. Apple. As another poster commented, it's all about the $$$. I can remember hearing stories about the lives of aging olympians when the sponsor money dries up in favor of the latest champions. So sad...and nothing I want any part of.

 

[jjofc11]

Samsung has the right to do it

It's simple if Samsung is paying for it they are is more than right to do whatever they want at the presentation, I just don't understand why if Apple has so much money why not to sponsor all those great Athletes?

 

[ChuckBlack]

It's simple if Samsung is paying for it they are is more than right to do whatever they want at the presentation, I just don't understand why if Apple has so much money why not to sponsor all those great Athletes?

Still wondering?