Coca-Cola Launches Multiplatform Campaign Ahead Of Olympics

Watch The "Snowball" Spot

Coca-Cola is running a multifaceted Olympic-themed marketing campaign in the U.S. ahead of the Vancouver Games. Coca-Cola Olympic-themed collectible cans and FridgePacks featuring silhouettes inspired by Winter Olympic sports, including figure skating, ice hockey, speedskating and snowboarding, are currently hitting stores. An additional commemorative can featuring a contemporary interpretation of the Inukshuk, the symbol of the Vancouver Games, will be released closer to the February 12 Opening Ceremony. Coca-Cola has also launched a global Olympic TV commercial, "Snowball," and a series of four 15-second spots promoting the collectible cans. Two 30-second spots featuring Coca-Cola's "Six-Pack" of athletes and cans will run on NBC during the network's primetime Olympics coverage. Coca-Cola also is partnering with NBC as an exclusive sponsor of Team USA on NBCOlympics.com and NBCOlympics mobile. The sponsorship includes a custom content section featuring Olympic highlights and a mobile application (Coca-Cola).

OFF THE MEDAL STAND: ADWEEK's Barbara Lippert wrote "Snowball," the "first of two 60-second Coca-Cola spots created by Wieden + Kennedy for the Winter Olympics," is supposed to serve as the "galvanizer for some high-energy high jinks and global kumbaya." But the merriment is "forced," and  despite some "fun winter-sport references ... it never gels." Lippert: "'Snowball' hardly warms us up to the idea of having a cold one." But Lippert wrote "Finals," Coca-Cola's second spot, is "beautifully executed," and the animated parts are "exquisite." Lippert: "It's also a cooler concept and I like it a lot more than 'Snowball,' even if it starts out like a not-terribly-memorable mashup of kids' movies like 'A Night at the Museum' and past spots" (ADWEEK.com, 1/24).