In 2002, New York City was selected as a Candidate City for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Before announcing the site of the next Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) visited each candidate city for a week to gauge levels of preparedness, unity and enthusiasm. Here, Billie Jean King along with former Deputy Mayor and Director of NYC 2012, Dan Doctoroff, escort the IOC through the City where they are greeted by the most ambitious media campaign in New York’s history.

During the IOC’s tour, the NYC 2012 board commission branded sporting events across the city. Each brought New Yorkers and global athletes together in the name of sport.

The Olympic Games are never just about athletic achievement or national pride. Some of the most memorable stories happen away from the track, the gymnasium and the aquatics center. These banners and installations reminded the IOC and the people of New York of those moments.

This billboard in Times Square revealed a strategic choice behind the campaign design. For the campaign to stand out in the visually manic environment of New York City, it had to be a counter weight. The choice of matter-of-fact visuals and language gave the NYC 2012 billboards a powerful, collective impact across the entire city.

We branded hundreds of taxi tops with the 2012 campaign.

We carried the idea underground to the millions of people who ride the New York subway everyday.

To further blend New York City with the Olympic Games, our campaign repurposed naturally occurring landmarks in the city to tell the story of 2012. A popular digital art installation in Union Square became this clock counting down to the IOC’s announcement of the winning city.

On the agenda for the International Olympic Committee was a tour of the potential venues for Olympic events. We used design and multi-media to help the Committee members get a feel for what this venue could become.

Public events were held throughout New York City to celebrate the City’s enthusiasm for the 2012 Olympic Games.

On the last night of the IOC’s visit, NYC 2012 launched its most ambitious media effort: designing and synchronizing the endless digital screens in Times Square to promote NYC 2012.