Oh the Olympics. Whether it's the summer or winter games, they're sure to be filled with heroic stories of redemption, perseverance, and national pride. Not to mention the insane amount of advertising dollars that they generate. Companies are willing to dish out big bucks for the right to be called an Olympic sponsor. And to nobody's surprise, companies tend to get a little upset when the image that they've dished out millions for is slightly tarnished by the partying and celebrating of the athletes.
Isn't that adorable? Even as grown adults and as the best athletes in their respective sports, Olympians will always be their mother's child. Proctor and Gamble has released a number of these ads targeting middle aged mothers watching the Olympics. Many of the sponsors are combining the wholesomeness of the Olympics with their brand identity. But much to these companies' despair, humans don't always preform wholesome and family-friendly acts.
Take Scott Lago for example. After winning the bronze in halfpipe for snowboard, he went out with a bunch of friends to party. One thing led to another, some pictures were taken, and he was sent home by the United States Ski and Snowboard Association. Was it a good idea for Scott to put himself in a situation were those pictures could be taken? Probably not. Can you blame a 22 year old for going out to party and have a good time after medaling in the Olympics? Probably not either. But unfortunately he got caught and those pictures seem to contrast with the family image portrayed by the Proctor and Gamble commercials. Another similar story also occurred after the Canadian Women's Hockey team won gold. As in most sports after a major victory, teammates shower champagne everywhere in celebration....but usually in the locker room. The Canadian Women did the exact same thing that any other team would do...but on the ice. For this reason they are now being investigated by the IOC and COC. Keep in mind that these players did this after all of the fans had cleared out.
Guess what? Even though Olympians are expected to live up to this ridiculous ideal of athleticism and wholesomeness, they are still humans. Do humans ever drink? Sure they do. Do humans like to go out to party? A fair number of them. Do humans ever smoke pot? Michael Phelps anyone? Yes they have some responsibility as role models to live up to expectations and if they don't they are liable to suspension and lose of corporate sponsors. But in all honesty, its nothing compared to what others living in the public eye get away with (politicians for example). So cut them some slack. After all, they're only human.
Works Cited:
The New York Times "Back Home, U.S. Snowboarder Finds Solace"
ESPN "Champagne Wishes, Gold Medal"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSn5Z7EC4ME
The New York Times "Phelps Disciplined Over Marijuana Pipe Incident"
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/51976819/Olympic_Logo_Specila_design.jpg
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