Vancouver, British Columbia (map) - Librarians in Vancouver are being warned to solicit only official Olympic sponsors for any Games-themed events they organize next month, and to cover up the names of any competitors - even slapping tape on offending logos on audiovisual equipment.
Vancouver PL Marketing and Communications Manager Jean Kavanagh
The memo, written by marketing and communications manager Jean Kavanagh, tells staff to avoid such companies as Pepsi or Dairy Queen - neither of which is an official sponsor, unlike, say Coca-Cola or McDonald's. And she suggests taking unusual steps to avoid displaying the logos of non-sponsors, writing:"If you have a speaker/guest who happens to work for Telus, ensure he/she is not wearing their Telus jacket, as Bell is the official sponsor."
She also writes that any rented sound equipment have its brand name covered by cloth or tape - if it's not a machine from sponsor Panasonic.
Ms. Kavanagh said in an interview that her list of Olympic dos and don'ts does not constitute censorship.
But Alex Youngberg, president of the library union, says the memo is contrary to the spirit of a public library. "There's something in my library to offend everybody," she said. "And that's our job. Our job as library staff is to not ever censor any information."
Alex Youngberg, president of the library union
The library has a policy that says "sponsorship must not undermine the integrity of the non-commercial public space that the library provides." Ms. Kavanagh said she does not believe using exclusively Olympic brands at Vancouver library locations during the Games will breach that policy.
Ms. Kavanagh said neither the city nor VANOC asked her to send the memo; she simply wanted to make staff aware of Olympic branding guidelines.
"As we all know, the sponsors have paid a lot of money to sponsor these Games. The library is a department of the City of Vancouver and I didn't want any of our staff to be in potentially embarrassing situations," Ms. Kavanagh said.
VANOC spokesman Greg Alexis said the only time that VANOC would be concerned would be a case in which non-sponsor brands were used at an official Vancouver 2010 Winter Games event where the city's Olympic logo was used.
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Librarians Told To Stand On Guard For Vancouver Olympics Sponsors
By Geoff Dembicki (CP) www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpressJan. 13, 2009 ago
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Vancouver librarians are being asked to help police kids' events and other gatherings on their premises to make sure the brands of corporations like Coke and McDonald's get exclusive play during the 2010 Olympics, according to an internal memo.
The memo was obtained by the online magazine The Tyee and advises Vancouver Public Library branches to protect Olympic sponsors.
"Do not have Pepsi or Dairy Queen sponsor your event," read guidelines sent to library branch heads and supervisory staff last fall.
"Coke and McDonald's are the Olympic sponsors. If you are planning a kids' event and approaching sponsors, approach McDonald's and not another well-known fast-food outlet."
Jean Kavanagh, manager of marketing and communications for the Vancouver Public Library, came up with an extensive list of do's and dont's. It was sent out sometime last October or November, she said.
"As the Games get close, it's kind of a reminder to people as they're doing events of some things to keep in mind," she said.
The guidelines apply mainly to highly visible gatherings with 30 or more people. Branches are advised to "ensure all equipment/goods meets VANOC's sponsorship brand requirements for things like food, clothing, merchandise."
The rules are very specific. It's fine if a Telus employee agrees to be a speaker at a library-organized event, but staff can't forget
Bell is the official sponsor. They should make sure the guest removes his or her Telus jacket, the memo advises.
The same care must be taken for audio-visual equipment. The branch should try to get devices made by official sponsor Panasonic. Should staff only be able to find Sony equipment, the solution is simple.
"I would get some tape and put it over the 'Sony,"' Kavanagh said. "Just a little piece of tape."
Sponsors such as McDonald's and Coke spend tens of millions of dollars to market themselves through the Games.
Domestic and international sponsorship revenue pays for more than half of the
Vancouver organizing committee's $1.75-billion operating budget.
When
Vancouver won the Games in 2003, it signed agreements with the International Olympic Committee to bolster sponsor rights.
In 2007, the federal government gave the local organizing committee, known as VANOC, "considerable powers" to protect the Games brand.
The city's proposed signage bylaws led to legal action last fall. The rules have since been revised.
"The library is a City department and we need to ensure our activities follow the correct protocols as the
Host
City," Kavanagh wrote in an email Monday morning.
City of
Vancouver spokesperson Lesli Boldt said she hasn't seen the memo.
"I don't think the city advised the library. They have their own sponsorship policy," she said.
Calls to Olympics organizers were not returned.
Kavanagh said she did not receive any direction from Olympics organizers or the city when she created the VPL guidelines.
"This has nothing to do with VANOC," she said later in an interview. Kavanagh said she took her own initiative.
"People are just glad to have good information," she said. "You don't want to plan something if there's going to be a major problem."
