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Carrefour is in a bit of trouble again — but not the same sort of trouble as what happened a few months ago. This time, its Nanjing outlet has been caught by regulators for "illegally" using the Olympic rings and the Five Friendlies together with its own logo in the store. A store manager clarified that the store had done so to show their support for the Beijing Olympics, but "clearly there were a few things that we failed to consider and if so, we are happy to correct them". As a regulator explained, every instance of the use of an Olympic emblem has to be approved by BOCOG and no approval had been granted to Carrefour. Earlier this year, shortly after the anti-Carrefour riots, the French retailer's Beijing outlets were also quick to "show support" for the Beijing Olympics by having their staff wear caps with the Olympic rings — only to get rapped soon after for "illegal usage".
Previously on Shanghaiist
Nike's Olympic advertising whitewash
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Carrefour will do anything to look like they support the olympics.
I recently interviewed a China Olympics expert, Susan Brownell, who is a guest professor at Beijing Sport University, who made a really good point about intellectual property rights for the Olympic movement. She said that there is a conflict between the Olympics educational movement, and the commercialization of the Olympics. The International Olympics Committee doesn't allow the use of the word "Olympic," or its variations, except for official Olympic sponsors. But what about grassroots organizations or educational programs that want to promote their event or activity by aligning themselves with the Games -- shouldn't they be allowed to at least use the word "Olympic"? Afterall, they are organizing an event to promote the Olympic ideals and spread the Olympic movement. I would have to agree with Brownell. The Olympics shouldn't be monopolized by corporations.