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Beijing unveiled five mascots for the 2008
Olympics on Friday - five cartoon renditions of a panda, fish,
Tibetan antelope, swallow and the Olympic
flame. |
After years of fierce lobbying and months of secrecy, Beijing unveiled
five mascots for the 2008
Olympics on Friday, opening a marketing blitz that is expected to reap
record profits.
In an elaborate, nationally televised gala at a Beijing sports arena to
mark the 1,000-day countdown until the Games, senior Chinese leaders
introduced the mascots - cartoon renditions of a panda, fish, Tibetan
antelope, swallow and the Olympic flame, each one the color of one of the
Olympic rings.
"The five friendlies are an incredible little family carefully chosen
by Beijing 2008 to represent all of China to carry a message of friendship
to the children of the world," International Olympic Committee president
Jacques Rogge said in a statement that was read at the ceremony.
"China is so lucky to have so many beautiful animals to represent the
Olympic spirit," Rogge said.
The animals were introduced as Bei Bei, Jing Jing, Huan Huan, Ying Ying
and Ni Ni - which, put together, translates to "Beijing welcomes you!"
It is the most number of mascots any Olympic Games has had in more than
30 years. The Salt Lake City and Sydney Games both had three.
A plethora of real and
mythic creatures were among the candidates considered by Chinese leaders,
Olympic officials and design specialists over the past year. Among those
that didn't make the cut were the dragon and a magical monkey out of
Chinese folklore.
The choice, the subject of lively media speculation for months, has
been a secret since it was finalized three months ago.
At stake for China is one of the most marketable symbols in the
Olympics - a symbol that stands to generate significant revenues and
public support for the Beijing Games, which will cost an estimated $38
billion.
Sales of licensed products, including those with the mascot, brought in
about $300 million at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Host cities keep 10 to 15
percent of the royalties, helping to defray the costs of staging the Games.
Officials with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games
say they expect sales of such products to be higher still.
On Saturday, postage stamps and more than 300 other licensed products
of the mascot go on sale at 188 authorized venues across the country,
widening a product line of T-shirts, caps, pens and bags bearing the 2008
Games logo, according to Olympic officials.
Beyond the sales expectations, China has tried to use the
mascot-selection process to involve communities far from Beijing. On hand
for the unveiling at the Workers Gymnasium in eastern Beijing were 100
children "ambassadors" from western provinces.
(Agencies) |