Almanack: Atlanta pin their hopes on Izzy

ATLANTA'S marketing gurus have decreed that the Olympic Games of 1996 will generate dollars 5m in pin money: that's the amount they aim to rake in through sales of Official Olympic Lapel Badges. Their cunning plan involves manufacturing 1,500 different badge designs, thus driving the world's collectors into a feeding frenzy of greed and covetousness, while the games organisers achieve their revenue targets.

British badge aficionados are aghast at the scheme. 'Good heavens,' exclaims Mary Setchfield of the British Badge Collectors' Circle. 'It does seem a lot. I'm sure there weren't as many for the last lot of Olympics.' A large number of her fellow collectors could be affected by the plans: 'Some of our members specialise in the Olympics,' she explains.

Naturally the Olympic organisers see their badge operation as a public service rather than a revenue-generating exercise. 'It has become an integral part of the Olympic experience,' says the organising committee licensing director Bob Hollander. 'It is an inexpensive way for a spectator to be a participant.' Games officials are also keen to point out that such gimmicks are nothing new: lapel pins were used to identify officials, athletes and journalists at the 1896 Olympics.

All the pins will be numbered, limited issues: some as limited as 500 in order to set collectors slavering. They will cost between dollars 5 ( pounds 3.35) and dollars 7, and a large proportion will feature Izzy, the Games' strange, blue, computer-generated mascot. 'Izzy is one of the most popular lines with our pin manufacturers,' says Laurie Elson, who is described by her Atlanta colleagues as 'Izzy's mother'.

Badge aficionados not dissuaded by Izzy's appearance will have to spend dollars 7,500 to collect the lot. The Organisers of Atlanta 1996, as Mrs Setchfield rightly puts it, 'must think they're on to a good thing.'