If you’ve been tuning into the Paris 2024 Olympics, you’re probably curious about the contents of the boxes awarded to the winners.
At this year’s Olympic Games in France, those who secure a spot on the podium receive a mysterious cardboard box around 15 inches in length.
In addition to the medals for first, second, and third place—gold, silver, or bronze—each medal features a hexagonal piece of the Eiffel Tower embedded in it.
But the surprises don’t stop there. After the elite athletes descend from the podium and leave the view of cameras, they are given a mascot in recognition of their medal-winning performance.
These mascots are all produced in the northwest of the country at the Doudou & Compagnie factory located in the small commune of La Guerche-de-Bretagne.
So, what exactly is this year’s official mascot?
It’s called the ‘Phryge’, pronounced similar to ‘fridge’. The mascot is a red stingray-looking teddy.
The Phryge is inspired by the Phrygian Cap worn by Marianne, the Goddess of Liberty and a symbol of the French Republic dating back to 1775—France’s equivalent of Uncle Sam.
Each Olympian on the podium receives a mascot with the color of their medal sewn onto its belly, and the word ‘bravo’ stitched on its back.
So, what’s inside the box?
I speculated it might be a small flute of champagne, or perhaps something alcoholic for those who partake, and for the athletes who don’t, well, I was uncertain.
It turns out that the contents are something entirely different.
Inside the box, rolled up neatly, is the official poster for the event.
This poster was created by Ugo Gattoni, a Parisian artist whose vibrant and playful illustrations captivate viewers.
The posters were initially unveiled in March, but at that time, no one anticipated they would become such a talking point during the tournament—okay, maybe not the main talk of the tournament, but many were eager to find out more.
Following a meeting with one of the top executives of the Paris 2024 Olympics in June 2023, Gattoni explained to the games’ media team that he had a clear vision for the poster.
He said: “I immediately had an idea. I came home here to the studio and I already had the stadium in mind on my journey back. I wanted to make a Paris stadium. I had even already made a first sketch.”
“I quickly added shadows to make it more meaningful and I pitched the idea to Joachim, who approved it,” he continued.
After dedicating four months and 2,000 hours of work, Gattoni began to delve into the details.
He added: “I added buildings, changed the background, put in the shadow. I added the Tahiti wave and included Marseille,” he recalled, pointing to each element with precision.
