The campaign is a key pillar in the IOC's efforts to promote ‘values'.
Four marcoms groups have been shortlisted to pitch for the campaign at the beginning of next year, with the launch set for mid-2007. They are: Havas, Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi and United.
Leo Burnett's regional corporate comms director EMEA, Trudi Harris, confirmed the agency was in talks with all its sibling Publicis PR companies, including Manning Selvage & Lee and Publicis Consultants. Havas confirmed it would use France's Euro RSCG C&O to handle the PR in its pitch.
Saatchi & Saatchi, which is running its pitch from New York, and United were unavailable for comment as PRWeek went to press.
The brief is for ‘a creative, multi-dimensional approach using TV, online, viral, experiential and PR activities', said an IOC statement.
The IOC's previous campaigns promoting Olympic values have been via TV, radio and print advertising. ‘We've run this campaign several times with great success, and have concentrated on broadcast as a medium.
However, we need to refresh and revamp the campaign to keep it relevant,' IOC spokesperson Giselle Davies told PRWeek.
The ‘celebrate humanity' campaign was first run before and during the Sydney 2000 games.
