GE pushes Beijing Olympics sponsorship

General Electric (GE) is launching a global campaign to promote its sponsorship of the Beijing Olympics. It breaks to coincide with the opening ceremony later today (August 8).

The advertising, created by BBDO NY, is designed to create awareness of GE’s status as a worldwide partner of the International Olympic Committee. The advertising focuses on key products GE has provided for the Beijing Games such as wind, lighting and water technology.

A series of print and outdoor executions will appear first in China and Europe and from August 19 in the US. One execution shows the rainwater recycling system that GE has developed for the “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium, another features the wind turbines that will help supply the grid that powers the Olympics and a third centres on the lighting systems which will be used at the National Aquatic Centre.

Four online ads, shot in China, have also been created and will run on Yahoo!, AOL and MSN. GE has also built an “Imagination Centre” in the Olympic Sponsor Village in Beijing, which is intended to bring GE’s Olympic partnership to life by providing an interactive experience.

The US campaign will include a series of television as concentrating on GE’s wind, biogas and aircraft engine technologies.