As the '96 Games approach, "Coca-Cola is staging a grass-
roots marketing blitz" as it is expected to spend as much as
$250M to support the games, according to BRANDWEEK. Karen
Benezra reports Coca-Cola "needs an array of branded programs to
activate the property," as the Games are "the centerpiece for its
global bottler community." Benezra notes Coca-Cola's "challenge"
is to "make the seemingly distant contest a relevant event on
Main Street USA."
THE PLAN: Coca-Cola begins with its sponsorship of the
torch relay in February. Hitting 1,200 cities in 42 states, the
soft drink will allow consumers to nominate someone to run a 1K
leg through its "Whom would you choose?" contest, featuring in-
store, radio and TV support. The Powerade brand will also be
involved, as "Powerade escort runners" will accompany torch
bearers. Coca-Cola will also join AT&T as sponsor of
EA/SportsLab's traveling fanfest hitting 12 cities in '96. The
fest includes rock-climbing, track, golf, and coaching clinics.
In Atlanta, Coca-Cola will stage Olympic City, with interactive
events in cooperation with SportsLab. McDonald's, Kodak,
Panasonic, Reebok, NationsBank and Discovery Channel "are in
talks" to sponsor other Olympic City attractions (BRANDWEEK,
11/20 issue).
SODA GAMES: BRANDWEEK Editor John McManus notes Coke's
Olympic involvement since '84 and writes that having the '96
Games in Atlanta is "poetic justice." McManus calls Coke's role
"in support of the ever more massive" Olympics -- "inestimable."
He adds, "In turn, the Olympics relationship has fit Coke
interests in ubiquity, in always-ness, to a T" (BRANDWEEK,
11/20).
