Gold Coast 2018: Commonwealth Games Advertising Restrictions

The 2018 Commonwealth Games will take place on the Gold Coast, Australia from 4 – 15 April with 70 participating nations scheduled to compete.

In New Zealand, the Major Events Management Act (MEMA) provides permanent protection to the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games emblems and words. Section 28 of the Act sets out how breaching the Act can result in fines of up to $150,000.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) is mandated to protect the Commonwealth Games brands in NZ, ensuring all brand elements are used within guidelines, within New Zealand law and monitoring and acting on any ambush marketing. It is important that advertisers abide by the restrictions on who can use the Commonwealth emblems and words.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) owns commercial and intellectual property rights associated with the Commonwealth Games. These include:
• All rights associated with the CGF logos, including the Commonwealth Games emblem, ‘The Bar;
• All rights associated with the Commonwealth Games flag, motto, anthem, the torch/flame, the Queens’ Baton, identifications, designations and emblems;
• The right to exploit and/or license all commercial rights associated with the Commonwealth Games (including sponsorship, media, broadcasting and merchandising rights).

The use of the Commonwealth Games Rights in New Zealand is reserved only for the IOC, CGF, NZOC and their commercial partners.  The NZOC has published Advertising, Promotion and Social Media Guidelines to explain the protections in place under the MEMA for Commonwealth Games words and emblems. These guidelines provide general information as well as clarity on how to avoid breaching the MEMA through the unauthorised use of the major events emblems and words, which would suggest an official association with the event that does not exist.

If you have any questions about advertising regarding the Commonwealth Games, please contact the NZOC.