Rio Presents New Emblem to World

(ATR) There’s a new look to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The new logo for the 2016 Games was revealed to the world during the massive New Year’s Eve party that is traditional for Copacabana Beach. As many astwo million people were expected for theevent, although light rain early on threatened to keepthe numbers down.

The logo was unveiled a couple of hours before midnight to cheers from the crowd, dressed in white, as is the New Year’s custom.

The logo was created by the Tatil design firm in Rio, one of eight Brazilian firms which were shortlisted to create the new logo.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, Rio 2016 president, says he pushed to launch the logo on New Year’s Eve to take advantage of the huge publicity that always comes with the Copacabana festivities. To meet that deadline, Rio 2016 rushed to a new design just 13 months after winning the Olympics; usually organizing committees select new logos up to two years after the Games have been awarded.

Nuzman predicts the new look will be popular with the public and detractors will be few.

"The large majority of the people will love the logo because it’s beautiful, it’s different," he tells Around the Rings.

"It brings a lot of things that we are trying to show in Brazil. The city of Rio – the population of Rio – trying to show how they are. That’s what we expect – the success of this logo."

Known as Reveillon, the program for the evening began at 6pm with musicfrom four stages set up along the four miles of the beach. Organized by the city of Rio de Janeiro, Reveillon is made possible by commercial sponsors such as Coca-Cola, and new Rio 2016 banking sponsor Bradesco.

The show culminates in a 20-minute fireworks display launched from barges floating off Copacabana.

IOC President Jacques Rogge, coordination commission chair Nawal El Moutawakel, and Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli are in Rio for the launch and preparations for the Games.

Along with the new logo, the Rio 2016 website (www.rio2016.org) has been revamped with the new look of the Games.

The choice of the new logo was made months ago and kept secret until the launch. Since being chosen, the logo has received IOC approval and been registered as a trademark worldwide.

With the launch of the new logo, Nuzman tells ATR the marketing plan for Rio 2016 is now complete.

"I have no doubt the sponsors will like and view the logo with pleasure. I think everybody will be proud of the logo."

Written and reported in Rio de Janeiro by Ed Hula.