By Nora Manthey, Editor, WIPO Magazine
Paris 2024 is here. But what remains after the Games? The Paris 2024 mascots will be more than just souvenirs. Beyond the medals and accolades, it’s the merchandise that endures – and the Olympic mascots stand out.
While the Olympic symbol has remained largely unchanged since its creation in 1913, the event’s mascot changes with each edition. The first such character, a little skier named Shuss, debuted at the Grenoble Winter Games in 1968. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Shuss was available on keyrings, pins, magnets and watches, and even appeared in inflatable form.
Flying the flag for Paris 2024 are the Olympic Phryge and Paralympic Phryge mascots. They are present on more than 150 merchandise items in the Olympic shop alone, including water bottles, baby rattles, tote bags and baseball caps. The little red creatures also appear as plush toys. But what exactly are they?
What are the Paris 2024 mascots supposed to be?
The Phryges are based on the Phrygian cap, which became a symbol of the freedom, or “Liberté”, that French revolutionaries fought for between 1787 and 1799. Marianne, the national personification of France, is often depicted wearing the small red hat. You may also recognize the cap as a wardrobe staple of the Smurfs.
Despite the commercial nature of the merchandise, the IOC tasks these talismans with “giving concrete form to the Olympic spirit, spreading the values highlighted at each edition of the Games; promoting the history and culture of the host city; and giving the event a festive atmosphere”.
Alone we go faster, but together we go further.
Motto of the Olympic and Paralympic Phryge
While the mascots represent free-spiritedness, they are not to be used freely. The Olympic Games as an event is strictly protected by intellectual property (IP) which is crucial for hosting and keeping the Olympic Movement alive.
Which intellectual property rights apply to the Olympic mascot?
The IOC generates revenues from granting exclusive rights, such as worldwide marketing and broadcasting rights and other sponsorship benefits, to commercial partners. Among these are licenses to use IP-protected assets related to the Games, including mascots, which are Olympic properties. These come in different forms:
- Trademark of the Olympic Phryge
The Paris 2024 mascots are registered trademarks in France under the names “La Phryge Olympique" and "La Phryge Paralympique”. - Copyright of the Paris 2024 mascot’s motto
“Alone we go faster, but together we go further,” as the official motto of the Olympic and Paralympic Phyrges is protected by copyright. - Design of the Phryges
The shapes of the Olympic Phryges fall under design rights. The Hague System safeguards the design of the Phryges internationally to prevent infringements.
Carlos Castro, head of the IP department at the IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland, explained the Olympic Games’ IP protection in a 2019 article for WIPO Magazine: "IP protection is crucial in ensuring that we can continue to generate revenues, which are then redistributed for the benefit of sports and athletes around the world."
The value of Olympic merchandise
Olympic merchandise is branded with a registered Olympic trademark, such as “Paris 2024” and the Phryges’ designs.
In all Games, merchandising falls under the IOC’s global licensing strategy. While the 2024 numbers are yet to be released, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics saw 127 licensees create 7,994 products. According to the latest marketing file 
from the IOC, this resulted in USD 52 million in revenue for the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOG). London 2012 saw 55 licensees bring in USD 119 million through merchandise sales. Only the Beijing 2022 Winter Games would break this record, with more than 8,000 products resulting in revenue of USD 157 million via 87 licensees.
How does the IOC use revenues generated by the Olympics?
The funds from licensing programs support everything that goes into the Games, alongside other revenue streams from ticket sales and broadcasting rights, which take the lion’s share at more than 60 percent.
And the funds extend beyond the Games. Castro writes that the revenues generated through the IOC’s strategic use of IP rights are redistributed to individual athletes, organizing committees, sports organizations and other beneficiaries.
The IOC claims that it keeps just 10 percent of these revenues to cover operational costs and distributes the remaining 90 percent to organizations throughout the Olympic Movement.
According to the IOC, this amounts to distributing more than USD 4.2 million to support athletes and sports organizations at all levels around the world every day. This would not be possible without the funds generated from the strategic use of its IP assets.
The legacy of the Olympics for host cities after the Games
The IOC acts as an international organization but mascots and other merchandise generate revenue on the ground for the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOG) of the host cities.
Shuss may have been the first Olympic mascot, but it appeared in Grenoble in an unofficial capacity. The first official mascot, a dog named Waldi, debuted during the Munich 1972 Games.
The German city was also first to implement a coin program. Since Munich, revenues from numismatic merchandise schemes have traditionally been directed to the Organising Committees of host cities. Munich raised USD 300 million this way and avoided having to increase tax to offset the cost of the Games.
Gearing up to host the Games with future Olympic properties
But the IP journey begins long before the Games’ opening ceremony. Once the IOC selects a host city, it triggers a flurry of activities. For example, most cities register trademarks early in their Olympic venture. Writing in 2019, Castro noted that trademarks were already registered for Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022, Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.
Cities that apply to host the Games must submit a candidature file, which includes detailed plans of how they will deliver the event. The document also includes : a list of creative literary, artistic works and audiovisual content eligible for copyright protection; relevant designs, logos, emblems or slogans eligible for protection as Olympics trademarks or industrial designs; and data relating to the proposed delivery of the Games, the compilation, curation and arrangement of which may also be eligible for copyright protection.
Can I use the Olympic rings for my merchandise?
The Olympic rings that currently embellish the Eiffel Tower are also firmly protected. Introduced in 1913 and officially launched in 1920, the logo has become a globally recognized symbol – the IOC suggests a 93 percent recognition rate. The five interlaced rings in blue, yellow, black, green and red represent the five continents and their union as athletes come together.
And it’s not just athletes. The Olympic Games is an international event that many businesses want to exploit. Still, if you are not an official sponsor, be cautious. So called “ambush marketing” or any attempt to create a false or unauthorized association with Olympic properties or the Olympic Games may be subject to prosecution. This includes the rings.
Protection of the Olympic symbol
The Olympic symbol is IP-protected. It even has its own treaty, adopted in Nairobi on September 26, 1981, and administered by WIPO. The Nairobi Treaty on the Protection of the Olympic Symbol obliges contracting parties to prohibit any commercial use of the Olympic symbol and to refuse or invalidate the registration of any mark containing or consisting of it, unless authorized by the IOC.
The original proposal to safeguard the Olympic symbol was initiated by Charles Mugane Njonjo, then Minister for Constitutional and Home Affairs of Kenya. In his opening speech at the conference, he recalled writing to Arpad Bogsch, the Director General of WIPO in 1977, expressing concern over the economic harm National Olympic Committees were suffering due to the unprotected status of the Olympic symbol, leading to wide exploitation.
“We sought your assistance, Sir, in remedying this abuse of an international sporting symbol (...).” At that point, he used a sporting term: he passed the ball to the WIPO court.
We wish all athletes and spectators of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics the best of luck and everlasting memories!
With additional insights from Michele Woods and Violeta Ghetu, WIPO.
