Milwaukee-based company sponsoring track star at 2012 Olympics

By Charles Benson

CREATED Jun. 26, 2012

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MILWAUKEE- The summer Olympic Games are one month away on TODAY'S TMJ4. A track star with a Wisconsin tie will compete for Teams U.S.A.

Nick Symmonds is the fastest man in America at 800 meters. On Monday night, the Oregon-based runner earned his second trip to the Olympics.  Milwaukee-based Hanson Dodge Creative will be going too, sort of. Symmonds will be sporting HDC's twitter name on his left shoulder.

"When we saw that, we thought it was a once and a lifetime opportunity to get involved with someone who is so forthright and out spoken about his sport's passion," said Sara Meaney, President of Hanson Dodge Creative.

Symmonds auctioned off his left shoulder on eBay to see if anyone would help sponsor his Olympic dream.  Hanson Dodge Creative won the bid at $11,100.

"It was a classic eBay bid and it was nail bitter," said Meaney.

Don't worry it's a temporary tattoo and it was all Symmonds idea.

"HDC took a chance on me in January when I put my left shoulder up for bid on eBay," said Symmonds. "Every athlete should have that opportunity to be able partner with a company like that."

HDC's president Sara Meaney tells TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Charles Benson it a classic win-win partnership.

"His experience as a world class athlete teaches us about the consumer of a lot of products we work with as clients." 

And if what if Symmonds comes home with Olympic gold?

"If he wins maybe a few us will be sporting a temporary Nick Symmonds tattoo," said Meaney.

Symmonds will not be able to display the tattoo during the Olympic competition.