From GE to Nestlé to watchmaker Omega, companies use the Games to test-drive new ideas—and strut their stuff

“The Olympics are an unparalleled marketing platform, and companies see innovation as a way to grab the public’s attention. Speedo, for instance, got so much press at the 2004 Games in Athens for its full-body swimsuits—which help swimmers glide through the water with less resistance—that it decided not to spend a dime on advertising related to the Beijing Olympics.”