China Marketing Crackdown

According to the New York Times, the Chinese government today imposed new restrictions on commercial advertisements in Beijing, a move that undoubtedly is welcomed by official Olympic sponsors, and chagrined by so-called ambush marketers. For certain non-sponsor companies intent on crashing the party, it is something of a game to steal the spotlight given to mega events such as the Olympic Games, but without having to pay a dime in sponsorship fees. For example, at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, American big-box department store and non-Olympic sponsor, Target -- which did not even do business in Italy -- managed to get its red-and-white bull's eye logo plastered all over the sides of the trains that ferried locals and tourists alike to and from the competition venues (see photo). It remains to be seen whether things will be different in China, given the state-controlled economy and the government's notorious no-nonsense manner.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/business/media/11adco.html?sq=olympic%20sponsor,%20marketing&st=nyt&scp=1&pagewanted=print

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