On Friday the International Olympic Committee announced that Munich, Germany would be among three contenders to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games - and the bid didn't waste any time in kicking off their campaign.

Munich 2018 re-launched its Website at http://www.munich2018.com and officially unveiled its new logo - a concept chosen from a national Internet poll of over 50,000 people who chose from three designs.

"The people have decided: The logo shows a stylized M, which is reminiscent of Bavarian mountain silhouettes and the awnings in Munich's Olympic Park", explained bid manager Richard Adam.

Munich hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1972 and is trying to be the first city to host both Winter and Summer versions of the Games.

"The enthusiasm in Rio de Janeiro and throughout Brazil in the awarding of the 2016 Olympic Games has once again shown just how much this event moves people. We will now carry the enthusiasm in our country" said Thomas Bach, President of th German Olympic Sports Federation.

"The two-cluster concept of the Munich application is ecological, compact and sustainable. It creates the best conditions for atmospheric outstanding games for athletes, guests and spectators" the Mayor of Munich Christian Ude said.

"We want to use the Olympic Application Munich 2018, in order to emphasize the strengths of the business and tourism location Bavaria nationally and internationally. I expect particularly effective stimulus for the winter tourism campaign by the application. The hosting of the Winter Games in 2018 in Bavaria also has enormous potential for growth and employment. Therefore, the Bavarian State Government is working with full commitment to a successful application," the head of the Bavarian State Chancellery, State Minister Siegfried Schneider told an audience at the kickoff event.

Munich 2018 will now get to work on a questionnaire response required by the IOC for an initial evaluation.  If the bid qualifies it will be accepted to a short list in June 2010.