NEW YORK, January 19–The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has launched its global Olympic 2000 Promotional Program in New York today.

The promotional program, titled ‘Celebrate Humanity’, forms part of global celebration of the Olympic Movement in this an Olympic year. The campaign is set to run with the assistance of media assets from Olympic Media Partners around the world via public service space and airtime, rather than purchased by the media.

The IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch, is said to be most pleased with the promotional announcements and particularly with the way in which they encapsulate the spirit of the Olympics, its values the special nature of the Games and the athletes.

In an attempt to allow the maximum amount of people to see the campaign, it has been produced in English, French and Spanish with the possibility of further languages to come. The campaign will be comprise of six television announcements, eight radio announcements, and double- and single-page print executions.

The Hollywood actor Robin Williams has been recruited to lend his time and voice as for the English television announcement. The IOC are very pleased that Mr. Williams has lent his talents to the campaign and he himself is proud to be involved because the campaign upholds the Olympic ideals of humanity and unification.

The TWAB/Chait Day advertising agency have created and produced the promotional announcements on Richard W. Pound, IOC first vice president and chairman of the IOC Marketing Commission commented, that the promotional campaign captures the core of the Olympic message and that Olympic athletes can teach lessons to us all through their honour and dignity. ENDS behalf of the IOC. Lee Clow, chairman and world-wide creative director of TBWA World-Wide said the aim was to remind the world of the Olympics’ values.