Just one week to go until Queen Elizabeth II opens the world's biggest sporting event – the London 2012 Olympic Games. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to winners and runners-up of the 302 events taking place from July 27 to August 12.
And Medienfabrik Gütersloh, subsidiary of arvato AG, has a front-row seat to the action: Julia Feldhans, Jochen Büttner and Michael Siedenhans, the Medienfabrik Olympics editorial team, will be spending three weeks working from an editorial office in London to produce a daily twelve-page newsletter for the German House, the German hospitality base in the Museum of London Docklands during the XXX Olympic Games. At this year's Olympic Games, Medienfabrik will be developing local products for its third largest major event – after Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010 – since establishing its partnership with the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) in 2008.
The daily "Olympische Momente" [Olympic Moments] newsletter, which will be put together entirely in England, will provide reports on the performance of German athletes, ongoing events at the German House and visits from VIPs and business delegations as well as quirks and information on the action in the background of the games. "Our office is located directly inside the German House, which will provide a meeting ground for athletes, sponsors, patrons, benefactors and even the stars of the Olympic Games," says Tobias Uffmann, Head of the Sports Communication department at Medienfabrik Gütersloh. According to Uffman, the "Olympische Momente" newsletter will be the most important source of information for the German Olympic community in London. Staff at Medienfabrik's site in Gütersloh will be responsible for the graphic design of the publication, which will then be printed overnight in London, ready to be delivered hot off the press the following morning.
On behalf of DOSB, Medienfabrik Gütersloh launched its long-term "Wir für Deutschland" [We're for Germany] communication campaign in spring with the aim of raising public awareness of Olympic sports and athletes as well as the related associations and funding. " Our communication approach and the slogan itself allow associations, organizations, individual people and companies to identify with the campaign and get involved through their own activities. 'Wir für Deutschland' shows clear commitment to our country and fosters a greater sense of community – and not only in sport," says Marc Wagner, Manager of Medienfabrik Gütersloh's campaign. Measures developed by Medienfabrik include advertising designs with sports ambassadors and Olympic medalists Britta Heidemann, Matthias Steiner and Ole Bischoff, the www.deutsche-olympiamannschaft.de website including the German Olympic team's Social Hub, and the Facebook page www.facebook.com/olympiamannschaft.
Medienfabrik also designed the look of the German House in the Museum of London Docklands, including walls, banners, various flyers, accreditation cards, postcards and signs that have been printed on a range of different materials and are currently being set up in the 200-year-old former warehouse in London's old port.
The "Countdown zu London 2012" [Countdown to London 2012] magazine, developed in cooperation with the DOSB, was published at the beginning of June this year. This magazine is available throughout Germany and provides exclusive insights into the 16 days of the Olympic Games. It contains portraits of Germany's Olympics hopefuls and sport ambassadors such as Frank Ostholt and Matthias de Zordo. The Olympics planner also offers an overview of all dates and venues for the 302 different games.
