"We want the Olympic rings to keep their symbolism and their value."Jacques Rogge, IOC President The Olympic rings are not only one of the most widely recognised emblems in the world, they are also one of the most powerful - symbolising the many principles and traditions of the OlympicMovement and the Olympic Games.As such, the Olympic brand holds tremendous value, and sponsors and broadcasters make considerable investments to align themselves with it. These exclusive agreements help fund the work of the Olympic Movement and assist in financing the staging of the Games themselves.Unauthorised use of the Olympic rings affects the IOC's ability to raise these funds, making theprotection of the Olympic brand integral to the overall success of the Games and the future of the Olympic Movement.To uphold the value of the Olympic rings, preserve the integrity of the Olympic brand, and protect the exclusive marketing rights of the official Olympic partners, the IOC and the OCOG implement a number of strategies and initiatives as part of a wide-reaching brand protection programme.Vancouver 2010 Brand Protection ProgrammeWhen Vancouver won the right to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, it became one of theguardians of the Olympic rings. As part of this role, one of VANOC's key responsibilities as theOrganising Committee was to ensure that the Olympic brand was protected within Canada and that there was no unauthorised use of the Olympic rings within the host country.To achieve this, VANOC's Commercial Rights Management team created a brand protection programmethat aimed to educate businesses and the public about correct usage of the Olympic brand, while alsodealing with issues such as ambush marketing, counterfeit merchandise and unofficial ticket sales.To aid these efforts, the Government of Canada also passed special legislation to specifically protect the Olympic brand in Canada.140Chapter Eight / PROTECTING THE OLYMPIC BRAND