Business

NAUTICA SNARES OLYMPIC ADVERTISING GOLD MEDAL

Nautica isn’t an Olympic or team sponsor, but it has received plenty of primetime TV exposure thanks to an endorsement deal with US beach volleyball player Misty May-Treanor.

For the past week, May-Treanor, who is going for gold with partner Kerri Walsh, has sported a headband emblazoned with the Nautica logo every time the camera zooms in for a close-up.

“We are getting great placement,” said Nautica spokeswoman Rosalind Drisko.

While some multinational companies pay millions to become official sponsors of the game, other brands have figured out how to get Olympic exposure for far less under sponsorship deals with individual athletes.

Although it depends on the sport, Olympic athletes can choose to wear accessories, such as headbands, hats and sunglasses, with logos from their corporate sponsors even though their uniforms or other apparel often have an official team sponsor.

So while May-Treanor wears a Nike swimsuit as her official uniform, she can keep the headband with the Nautica logo as long as it is no bigger than 6 square centimeters (2.362 inches) according to the rules.

Still, marketers said it’s confusing that some brands can slip by.

“The athletes’ individual deals aren’t supposed to follow them into the games,” said Kevin Adler, president of Engage Marketing in Chicago.

Moreover, Beijing organizers have been very strict with it comes to cracking down on unwanted corporate logos, going so far as to tape over toilet seats and bathroom fixtures not made by official sponsors, according to reports.

“They are opening a Pandora’s box for other brands looking to get an Olympic presence without paying,” Adler said.

holly.sanders@nypost.com