Brighton butcher falls foul of Olympic brand laws

5:04pm Wednesday 8th August 2012 in News By Ben James

BANNED: Paul and Karen Clark of Clark's Butchers, Lewes Road with the banned advert BANNED: Paul and Karen Clark of Clark's Butchers, Lewes Road with the banned advert

A Brighton butcher has branded Olympic bosses “pathetic” after they ordered him to remove a Games-themed barbecue display from outside his shop.

Trading Standards, working on behalf of LOCOG - the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games - told the 41-year-old he had to take down any mention of the Games as he was infringing branding rules.

Mr Clark said: “I'm absolutely gobsmacked. They encourage the public to get involved and tell us that these are 'our games' and then go and do something like this.

“We've paid enough money for these Games so I don't know why we can't enjoy some of the benefits.”

The butcher has been running an Olympic barbecue special which he advertises on an A-board outside his shop in Lewes Road, Brighton.

On it is a cut-out of the Olympic rings and the words: “4 Bolt Burgers, 4 Olympic Torch Kebabs, 4 Gold Medal Sausages and a disposable BBQ for £10.”

After failing to get into the Olympic spirit or recognise a good bargain, officers said that he had to remove the notice to “protect brand loyalty”.

A spokeswoman for LOCOG added: “We have specific guidelines on brand protection in order to maintain brand value.

“We carefully control its use to very specific areas and partners. Therefore it is not possible to use the London 2012 logo or use the Olympic rings unless accredited to do so.”

They argued that the London Committee had been entrusted with protecting “the long-term value” of the Olympic and Paralympic brands.

Guidelines on their website add: “The Olympic symbol is one of the most recognisable and valuable brands in the world, and we have obligations to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to maintain this value and prevent unauthorised exploitation.

“After our Games in 2012, the Olympic and Paralympic brands will live on and will need to continue to communicate the ethos of the Games. We must therefore carefully manage how the Games' Marks are used and what the London 2012 brand stands for.”

The action is the latest in a line of similar measures over the last few weeks.

In London a baker was forced to remove a bagel display arranged in the shape of the Olympic rings while a Games camera man had to cover the make of his equipment because it wasn't official.

Last week cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew tweeted to his 176,000 followers that his golf brand umbrella was confiscated as he visited Lord's to watch the archery.

Karen Clark, Paul's wife, said: “It's ridiculous. The whole country has been getting into the Olympic spirit apart from them.

“I don't see what they are gaining from doing this? They just look stupid.”

Paul added: “I'm trying to run a small business during a difficult time and this is yet more bully-boy tactics from the big companies.”

Click here for more Olympics news

Banned

LOCOG has outlined a number of “Games Marks” which “unauthorised” companies are forbidden from using. They include:

The Olympic Symbol

The London 2012 Olympic emblems

The London 2012 mascots

The word 'London 2012'

The words 'Olympic', 'Olympiad', 'Olympian' (and their plurals and words very similar to them - eg 'Olympix')

The Olympic Motto: 'Citius Altius Fortius' / 'Faster Higher Stronger'

The Team GB logo

The Olympic Rings

The London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006 states that generic terms such as ‘Twenty Twelve’, ‘Games’, ‘Gold’, ‘sponsors’ and ‘medals’ used in combination could potentially infringe LOCOG’s rights.

Comments(27)

Maxwell's Ghost says...
8:04am Thu 9 Aug 12

You are only part of the games if you compete in it or pay for a ticket otherwise you can sod off, even if you are a tax payer handing out billions for the event.
Can I have a ticket please or my money back.

Report this post »

Eric Northman says...
8:07am Thu 9 Aug 12

I feel they would have a hard time trying to enforce "London 2012" after all London is a place and 2012 is a date.... I'm going to use that on my latest advertising for the London branch of my business ... LOCOG are just greedy bullies picking on the little man trying to make a living every day of the year, not just for 2 weeks and take over the country.

Report this post »

pun master says...
8:18am Thu 9 Aug 12

Eric I think you'll find you can't use 'London' and '2012' together to promote your business, and that this is enshrined in law through the Olympics laws the Government passed a while back. For the record I totally disagree with all these archaic regulations - to me it smacks in the face of what the Olympics is about, but the IOC has simply become another greedy, wealthy organisation. And the sponsors, whose branding is so protected by these laws, has only contributed about £700m of the £9bn cost - less than 10%. This whole thing is an absolute disgrace, and to not allow businesses and communities to share in some of the wealth that the games have generated (and that they have in turn contributed towards) is outrageous, but will be forgotten in amongst all the glory of the Team GB....

Report this post »

Isaac Rinkfern says...
8:39am Thu 9 Aug 12

How dare someone enter into this spirit of pride, that they tell us that we are supposed to be sharing, without paying the organisers millions of pounds.
Am I allowed to say "olympic" or "gold medal" or will I get threatened by the olympig bully boys for using words that are in my dictionary?

Report this post »

Cabin fever says...
8:46am Thu 9 Aug 12

The cynic in me would say that 'poor' Eric knew this would be the outcome of such advertising.

As the article states, there have been numerous examples of LOCOG coming down on people that have Olympic-themed displays, so the chances are he knew the risks.

By approaching the newspapers, he gets more exposure, and probably ends up getting more trade, even without his 'gold medal' offers!

Report this post »

HJarrs says...
8:48am Thu 9 Aug 12

As a bit of a moaner about the Olympics, I freely admit that it has been an amazing spectacle that shows the country in a good light. However, two things have tarnished the Olympics in my mind and these are the passing of such a draconian Olympic law that seems there to protect corporate interests and the little Hitlers of LOCOG.

Report this post »

bengillam says...
8:52am Thu 9 Aug 12

I agree with cabin fever, you'd have had to have been living under a rock to think you could get away with it.

This isn't to say that i think its right, i think the IOC/LOCOG are so insane and stuck up their own backside it actually ruins the spirit of the games.

Put it this way i have been dreading the games and was really put off by the lead up and all the nonsense locog was spouting day in day out and confiscating umbrellas!!! but when th games actually started I have got into the spirit of supporting our athletes and have enjoyed it

but I dont see london getting games again for a very very very long time after the b/s that has made itself apparent in hosting them, this is probably no different when its been in other countries but of course we dont hear about the internal stuff like this

Report this post »

Fight Back says...
9:22am Thu 9 Aug 12

All he needs to do is remove the word Olympic from his board and there's nothing for the bully boys to complain about. They can't claim "Gold Medal" as you get gold medal wines, meats etc that have nothing to do with the Olympics. The telling words in the LOCOG statement are "valuable" and "value" - completely sold out to corporate greed with wholly inappropriate sponsors for a sporting event - sponsors that make the worst food, sugar laden drinks and financial organisations that helped cause the current recession.

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
9:32am Thu 9 Aug 12

Absolutely absurd but not really all that surprising. Pierre de Coubertin must be turning in his grave.

Then again our jolly butcher got his advertising and probably more widespread than a single sandwich board would have given him ;)

Report this post »

Morpheus says...
9:37am Thu 9 Aug 12

How can something local like this possibly effect the "brand value"? Locog should have been called Loco. It's time they realised that we are the ones who paid for this over blown jamboree.

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
9:53am Thu 9 Aug 12

And it is time we realised that any funding from the public purse (taxpayers money) for something like this is nothing when compared to the power of corporate greed.

Then again, a number of the big companies have agreed to forgo their Olympic tax concessions.

Report this post »

Bubs says...
10:02am Thu 9 Aug 12

Has ordinary trade mark law gone out of the window? I haven't really been paying attention. Under normal circumstances you have to trademark every category that you want to protect - so you could easily have Olympic Sausage Co registered as a trade mark by one business and Olympic Wedding Video Co to another business. Has Locoq trademarked "Olympic" "Olympiad" "Olympian" and - ANYTHING SIMILAR (!!!) like "Olympix" for every business category in the country for ever? Sounds a impossible. Maybe someone high up is just trying bully tactics to scare traders to not go anywhere near anything starting with "OL..."

Report this post »

GIVE UP says...
10:32am Thu 9 Aug 12

Are those the same DISPOSABLE BBQs left on Brighton beach at the end of the night with all the empty bottles and cans..?

Report this post »

GIVE UP says...
10:32am Thu 9 Aug 12

Are those the same DISPOSABLE BBQs left on Brighton beach at the end of the night with all the empty bottles and cans..?

Report this post »

Flippin Burghers says...
10:43am Thu 9 Aug 12

'In London a baker was forced to remove a bagel display arranged in the shape of the Olympic rings'. That is mental.

Report this post »

John Steed says...
10:59am Thu 9 Aug 12

stop moaning about it olympic branding has received more than adequate coverage, you got some free publicity and you have had a laugh
personaly i think the use of the word olympic is owned by the human race who speak english the same as any other english language word as long as passing off is not taking place who realy cares. you can sell your olympic pork chops or what ever in a couple of months and nobody will will bat an eyelid

Report this post »

sbiscorrupt says...
11:40am Thu 9 Aug 12

Replace 'Olympic' with 'Corpolympic' and you get the idea...

But if you want to get into the spirit of things, how about some 'snout in the trough' sausages?..

Or some 'lord coe' lamb kebabs?..You never know what nasties are hiding in either of those!

Of course don't forget the most important accompaniment - the gravy train!

Report this post »

RogerWQ says...
11:46am Thu 9 Aug 12

Just makes you want to puke.

Report this post »

Hoarder12345444 says...
12:11pm Thu 9 Aug 12

Its all a bit rediculous isnt it. Just because they have paid millions of pounds to be the "brand of the olympics" they get this treatment. surely it will boost trade and help them and the economy. I cant stand these buffoons.

Report this post »

cancelaccount says...
12:43pm Thu 9 Aug 12

i think one person is to blame here and thats the jobs worth trading standards officer (an employee of BHCC??) whom reported this infringement.

I would hazard a guess that a LOCOG 'member' (pun intended!!) would not be frequenting the shops on Lewes road, brighton....

Report this post »

PorkBoat says...
2:26pm Thu 9 Aug 12

Eric, tell them to cram it. What are they going to do? Fine you? Don't pay it. Try and close you down? Let them try.

Report this post »

PorkBoat says...
2:27pm Thu 9 Aug 12

Eric???? I mean Paul. Doh.

Report this post »

fredflintstone1 says...
11:38am Sat 11 Aug 12

Good to see LOCOG have got their own private nationwide police force - in the guise of (yes, you pay for them) Trading Standards going round threatening people.

If an ordinary member of the public tries calling Trading Standards, you just get fobbed off - they're not interested in doing anything at all, based on my experience of dealing with them.

Report this post »

Barquentine says...
12:46pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Just shows what a nasty, grubby exercise the whole thing is. My wife went to see the badminton and was treated to the spectacle of four teams all trying to lose. Count me out.

Report this post »

Barquentine says...
12:55pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Just shows what a nasty, grubby exercise the whole thing is. My wife went to see the badminton and was treated to the spectacle of four teams all trying to lose. Count me out.

Report this post »

Wivvy Dave says...
5:18pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Let them take action by the time they do so the games will be over and the case lost. Good on this guy take them on they are so petty its unreal.

Report this post »

Wivvy Dave says...
5:38pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Perhaps I should have added that no action has been taken in respect of all those tour operators offering "2012 summer holidays in London" now I wonder why that might be?

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree