This week IP Goes Pop! carries a torch for IP at the Olympics. Join co-hosts and Volpe Koenig Shareholders, Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue, for a relay through the intellectual property involved in putting on a global athletic competition that sometimes turns its top competitors into household names and “brands.”

In this episode, Michael and Joe dive into the trademarked words, phrases and logos owned or controlled by the International, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees and the rights surrounding them. Learn about the planning that goes into Olympic advertising campaigns and a few that have faced challenges. This conversation then turns to a discussion of other areas of pop culture that pull from the Olympics. Listen as Michael and Joe discuss some iconic films inspired by the Olympic games and learn more about these timeless films.

Next, Michael and Joe identify some of the regulations surrounding the branding for the Olympics and Paralympics. Various authorities have adopted rules to regulate such branding, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Team USA. Find out how the IOC ensures enforcement of its rights to protect the Olympic rings around the globe.

This episode concludes with a look at the long tradition of the Olympics driving technological innovation and the way athletes can promote and “brand” themselves before, during, and after the games. Learn how Olympic technology allowed for the introduction of the instant replay in tennis and who has a patent on the Olympic torch.

In this episode:

• Celebrities launched by the Olympics
  • Caitlyn Jenner
  • McKayla Maroney
  • Simone Biles
• Olympic Advertising
  • Wheaties Boxes
    • Michael Phelps
    • Michael Jordan
  • Reebok advertising campaigns
• Olympic Movies
  • Miracle (2004)
  • I Tonya (2017)
  • Cool Runnings (1993)
  • Cutting Edge (1992)
  • Blades of Glory (2007)
• The Nairobi Treaty
• Olympic Technology – Sports Broadcasting Patents & Innovations
  • Hawk-Eye Ball Tracking (GB 2, 357, 207 A)
  • Twinscan (JP 2014236341A)
  • The Olympic Torch (U.S. No. 6, 733, 282)