How the IOC's Rule 40.3 Guidelines Changed the Advertising Game For Rio 2016

Remember back in March hearing how Michael Phelps cried the first time he saw the Under Armour "Rule Yourself" commercial featuring him? This beauty - and Under Armour's entire "Rule Yourself" ad campaign - never would have been made had the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided not to change a longstanding rule that limited Olympics-related marketing to official sponsors like Nike and McDonald's.

Under Armour is not an official sponsor of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, but the athletic apparel brand does sponsor 250 Olympic athletes (at least before some started to declare that they were opting out of competing in these Games) and is one of the most prominent market players benefiting from the rule change You may be asking what Rule 40.3 is and why the IOC is relaxing its stance on marketing now as opposed to earlier. Well, let's talk about it.

Jaime, InternationalJaime MiettinenJuly 6, 2016Olympics, Summer Olympic Games, Rio 2016, Under ArmourComment