Coca-Cola has "begun a major-league change" in its
sports marketing strategy, according to Chris Roush of the
ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. The company is "no longer content"
with "simply hanging signs and airing commercials during
time outs," it also wants to "entertain" fans. The new
strategy has resulted in "letting go" of some stadium and
team deals that Coca-Cola has had the rights to for decades,
"allowing rival Pepsi to score some points." But it has
also "led to" Coca-Cola Sky Field, the 22,000-square-foot
entertainment park at the Braves' new Turner Field, and an
area in Milwaukee's County Stadium, where Coca-Cola wants to
install 1,500 "Barq Loungers" to promote its Root Beer.
SPIN-OUT? Coca-Cola Sports Marketing Dir Steve Koonin:
"Five years ago, we were just there. We were a concession
product with advertising. Now, we're a friend of the fan,
and we're fun. And we're winning." PepsiCo execs
"privately complain" Coca-Cola is "putting a public
relations spin" on the sports marketing deals it lost to
PepsiCo. In the past year, the Mariners, Devil Rays,
Diamondbacks and Lakers picked PepsiCo over Coca-Cola.
NASCAR's Jeff Gordon also "dropped" Coca-Cola for PepsiCo.
According to Roush's industry sources, the Diamondbacks went
with PepsiCo even though Coca-Cola had developed a soft
drink container that rattled like a snake's tail. Experts
note, however, that Coca-Cola still "dominates" the
industry, spending more than $250M a year on sports
sponsorship, with rights to 24 of 28 MLB teams, 26 of 30 NFL
teams, 18 of 24 NHL teams, 23 of 29 NBA teams and almost 600
NCAA stadiums and arenas (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/23).
