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*As political controversy continues to swirl around the Beijing Olympics, Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) is launching a major promotional campaign focused on the athletes and the sporting ideal of the Games. *

The campaign revolves around a group of high-profile US Olympians and Olympic hopefuls, with the message being communicated to consumers through special limited edition Olympic packaging, press and television advertising, and various online tie-ups. The aim is to unite sports and Coke lovers through the international spirit of the Olympic movement.

“Together, Coca-Cola and the Olympic Games have shared and promoted the values of unity, optimism and inspiration for 80 years,” said Hendrik Steckhan, President and General Manager, Sparkling Beverages, for Coca-Cola North America.

“For the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, we’re continuing that legacy of engaging the world. By combining Coca-Cola cans in different languages with six amazing athletes, we have created a programme that celebrates global communities coming together, and the unifying spirit of the Olympic Games and Coca-Cola.”

On 19 May, almost three months before the opening of the 29th Olympiad in Beijing, CCNA will release limited edition cans and FridgePacks bearing the familiar Coca-Cola logo in different languages including Ethiopian, Russian, Thai and Mandarin, as well as English.

It will be the first time the Coca-Cola script has appeared in different languages in the US, with new designs being released every two to three weeks. Special 20oz (591ml) Coca-Cola bottles will also feature labels with multiple languages including those of Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Korea, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

To link US consumers with the approaching Summer Games, collectable packaging and in-store materials will feature a “Six Pack” of athletes: Olympic gold medallists Natalie Coughlin (swimming), Steven Lopez (taekwondo), and Sanya Richards (track and field); Olympic competitors LeBron James (basketball) and Andy Potts (triathlon); and Olympic hopeful Shawn Johnson (gymnastics). * Active ambassadors* The “Six Pack” athletes are also serving as Coca-Cola “Ambassadors of Active Living,” encouraging consumers to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In New York on Friday (9 May), five of the six filmed special NBC vignettes that will air on US television to raise awareness of the collectable Coca-Cola packaging. These vignettes will join other Olympic-themed Coke ads over the summer, including a commercial celebrating the 80-year relationship between Coca-Cola and the Olympic Games.

The website mycoke.com will meanwhile run a number of Olympic promotions designed to appeal to teenage consumers in particular. Visitors to the site can design their own virtual Coke bottle to share with other fans around the world; learn about the Coca-Cola “Six Pack” of athletes; download wallpaper and screen savers; and enter a sweepstake to win a snowboarding trip with Olympic medallist Gretchen Bleiler to Vancouver, future venue of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

<1> will also feature “WE8,” a global collaboration between eight visual artists and eight progressive musicians to create eight limited-edition aluminium bottle designs and free, downloadable companion songs. Over the summer, thousands of samples of the special bottles will be given away in Simon shopping malls across the country.

Members of the mycokerewards.com loyalty programme can also redeem their points for Olympic gear, download Olympic packaging collector’s sheets, and enter a sweepstake to win a tour of the US Olympic Training Centre with an Olympic athlete.

The Coca-Cola Company has been an Olympic partner for 80 years, and is the longest continuous corporate supporter of the Olympic movement. Coke is the official non-alcoholic beverage of the Olympic Games to the year 2020.

<1>: http://Mycoke.com