I’m very excited to publish an interview I was lucky enough to get with branding expert Larry Vincent, Siegel+Gale (part of the Omnicom Group Inc.) Group Director of Strategy in Los Angeles.  Larry was kind enough to answer my questions related to the Olympics and how companies use the Olympics to further their brands.  Following is my interview with Larry.

Brandcurve: What brand (or brands) do you think is doing a particularly good job of leveraging the 2008 Summer Olympics to promote their brand and why?

Larry Vincent: Adidas has done a very good job. Though at first controversial to many because outsiders thought the nationalistic imagery was pandering, it’s a great example of a brand finding a voice in a special market. The brand work (not just the advertising) really celebrates the Games and the aspirations of the host country.

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The 2008 Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin in Beijing, China on August 8th.  Many companies and brands are investing large sums of money in advertising, promotion and sponsorship initiatives related to the Olympic Games.  Will their efforts give their brands a boost this summer?  NBC certainly hopes so.

In fact, NBC plans to carefully analyze consumers’ viewing habits during the 2008 Olympic Games to get a better picture of how those consumers are using and interacting with media, including on television and on the Internet.

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Budweiser has been the official beer of Nascar since 1999, but starting with the 2008 racing season, that title will shift to Coors Light.  In a deal estimated at $25 million, Molson Coors (NYSE: TAP) became the newest beer sponsor of Nascar.  Read more

The Red Bull brand is associated with several sporting events.  Red Bull sponsors not just car racing and motorcross events, but also one of the coolest sporting events - the Red Bull Air Race World Series where stunt pilots face the ultimate precision flying challenge through a high speed slalom course just above the water.  The San Diego Red Bull Air Race is one of the last in a 10-race season, and the buzz around the event has grown significantly. Read more