The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has put out to tender the rights to design the mascots for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
LOCOG is understood to be looking for recognised creative service companies - or consortia- specialising in the development, launch and marketing of the product.
The mascots will appear on toys, clothing, in film and animation, on the gaming and digital platforms and in physical form, according to London 2012. In addition, the design should aim to “reflect the ‘best of British' and reflect the London 2012 brand - ambitious, bold and creative".
London 2012 Commercial Director, Chris Townsend, told Around the Rings: “Those of us lucky enough to go to Beijing this summer saw firsthand the magic of the mascots, whether it was the soft toy version, entertainment at a venue, or simply photo opportunities at the airport. They help set the tone for the Games and we're very excited about kicking this process off. The mascot program will be a key component of our licensing plan and will be a strong revenue driver as we seek to raise the two billion pounds required to stage a Games in 2012".
In a statement to the press, LOCOG added that the successful agency will also be expected to develop a full marketing and communication plan to support the mascots' launch. The Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games will each have separate and distinct mascots.
