Rainbow Productions' London 2012 mascots seen by millions worldwide and on track to make 1000 personal appearances.
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Following the success of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Rainbow Productions has announced that since their unveiling at a school in Tower Hamlets on 19 May 2010, Wenlock, the Olympic mascot, and Mandeville, the Paralympic mascot, have clocked up almost 1000 personal appearances - ranging from school visits, stadia openings, in-store activities and Olympic Torch Relay dates, through to attending Games time events in front of spectators and broadcast to millions worldwide.
Rainbow Productions signed a licensing agreement with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) in 2010 to manufacture costumes and manage the personal appearances of Wenlock and Mandeville. During Games time Wenlock’s appearance schedule formed part of a wider spectator experience programme, with visitors to the Olympic Park being able to meet Wenlock at locations including the Band Stand, Aquatics Centre and Velodrome. Hundreds of spectators also saw Wenlock during his tours of the Olympic Park on a mascot mobile; Wenlock also made several on stage appearances at British Airways’ Park Live, one of Europe’s largest outdoor screens.
It has been revealed that the London 2012 Olympic Games delivered record viewing figures for the BBC and during four of the Top 10 Viewing Peaks identified by the channel, Wenlock could also be seen in the Olympic Stadium; the mascot embraced Mo Farah after his 10,000m race on ‘Super Saturday’ and could be seen ‘bolting’ with Usain Bolt after the 100m men’s final. NBC also announced that the TV network’s coverage of London 2012 was the “most-watched television event in US history”.
During the 24 months leading up to the London 2012 Games Rainbow Productions worked with partners to take Wenlock and Mandeville on a series of events across the UK, including school visits as part of the London 2012 ‘Get Set’ education programme. As the mascots approach their 1000th appearance, Rainbow Productions is getting set to manage Mandeville’s presence at the Paralympic Torch Relay Flame Festivals in London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh before Mandeville gets ready to meet spectators during the Paralympic Games.