The Scoop: Olympic medal controversy leaves LVMH tarnished

Dozens of athletes who competed at the Paris Olympics this summer say the medals they’ve worked so hard to win are not shimmering the way they once did.

To date, more than 100 athletes reported their medals were deteriorating, with bronze medals in particular flaking and rusting. The Monnaie de Paris, which minted the medals, attributed the damage to a varnish defect caused by new European Union regulations, according to the New York Times.

The International Olympic Committee promised replacements. The legendary French company behind the medal design – LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton – is working to distance itself from the situation. The company’s Chaumet jewelry house created the Eiffel Tower-inspired medals and is catching some heat for their involvement.

“LVMH was not involved in the production of the medals and is not responsible for the varnish issues,” a company spokesperson told the Times.

Why it matters: Saying “we’re not involved” and “we’re not responsible” may be accurate statement but it’s also a poor one, especially given how much the company flaunted its involvement in the medals.

LVMH effectively branded themselves into the medals, positioning their craftsmanship as a central part of the Olympics’ luxury appeal. And this controversy – and its rather terse response – has tarnished that moment in the sun.

It’s true that LVHM didn’t manufacture the medals, but the narrative loses that nuance because the company so effectively tied its name to the medals. The company, in a way, became a victim of its own success: they own the medals. Which means they own all of it.

Now the public is seeing Olympic champions with rusty medals with LVMH’s name all over it, even if only figuratively.

Michael Payne, former IOC marketing strategist, summed it up well: “Obviously because it’s the medal, it’s super high profile and everyone is asking the question how does this happen and especially coming from LVMH, whose raison d’être is quality and precision.”

While no one can fault LVMH from trying to distance itself from the issues of the medal, their response failed to show empathy for the champions who are seeing the pinnacle of their life’s work fade before their eyes.

LVMH could have taken a more proactive stance, showing leadership and ownership – something that would align better with their brand’s prestige.

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Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.