PROMOTIONS: CPG Giants Roll Out Olympics-themed Programs

As the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games hurtle down the chute this month, consumer packaged goods industry behemoths Coca-Cola — the exclusive nonalcoholic beverage provider to the Olympic Games through 2020 — and Procter & Gamble are debuting programs involving fans and athletes alike.

An Olympic Games partner since 1928 and the longest continuous corporate supporter of the Olympic movement, Coca-Cola this time around has created a multifaceted campaign anchored by a group of high-profile U.S. Olympians and U.S. champions dubbed the Coca-Cola “Six Pack” of athletes, limited-edition themed packaging, and media and digital content.

The packaging includes collectible cans and FridgePacks featuring silhouettes inspired by such popular Olympic Winter Games sports as figure skating, ice hockey, speed skating and snowboarding, with an additional commemorative can bearing a contemporary interpretation of the Inukshuk, the symbol of the games, being released closer to their opening. Over 700 million cans will be in stores throughout January and February.

The “Six Pack” athletes, who are featured on in-store materials and serve as Coca-Cola “Ambassadors of Active Living,” helping encourage and inspire people to lead active, balanced lives, are five-time Olympic medalist Apolo Anton Ohno (short-track speed skating), Olympic silver medalist Gretchen Bleiler (snowboard), three-time Olympic medalist Angela Ruggiero (ice hockey), world champion Evan Lysacek (figure skating) and two-time U.S. figure skating champions Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker.

Further, Coca-Cola has joined forces with NBC as an exclusive sponsor of Team USA on NBCOlympics.com and NBCOlympics mobile. The sponsorship includes a custom content section that captures all of the highlights of the games, and a mobile application called “NBC Olympic Cheer presented by Coca-Cola.” The app brings fans into the Vancouver experience by playing energetic, familiar sounds related to the Games like air horns and cowbells, and the sounds associated with drinking a Coke. Fans also can record and submit their own custom cheers within the app. Rounding out the NBC partnership is the exclusive sponsorship of “Primetime Challenge,” which enables fans to play along with the TV broadcast via a two-screen application synced up to live action, offering trivia, predictive questions, polls, fun facts and athlete profiles.

On MyCokeRewards.com, members can redeem points for Coca-Cola Olympic Games gear, find out about the collectible cans and the Coca-Cola “Six Pack” of athletes, and earn bonus points when U.S. athletes win medals during games. Coca-Cola also offers a mobile site with the content found on MyCokeRewards.com, plus downloadable wallpaper of the athlete silhouettes featured on the collectible cans. MyCoke.com allows visitors to design their own digital Coke bottle to share with others; learn about the “Six Pack”; watch videos, including Coca-Cola Olympic Games ads and U.S. Olympic Committee webisodes featuring the “Six-Pack”; and take part in an interactive global video game.

Coca-Cola is also presenting the 106-day Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay, featuring 20 torchbearers chosen because of their dedication to making a positive difference in their communities. The relay, which will culminate in the lighting of the torch at the Feb. 12 Opening Ceremony of the games, will cover more than 27,000 miles (45,000 kilometers) and link over 1,000 communities and places of interest across Canada.

While Coke is slaking the thirsts of participants and spectators at the games, Procter & Gamble is making athletes feel right at home. The company will welcome the over 300-strong Team USA and their families to Vancouver by inviting them to the P&G Family Home, which will provide them with a place to mingle, watch televised events and spend time with loved ones before and after competition, for the duration of the games, at no cost.

Noted Kirk Perry, VP, North America for Cincinnati-based P&G: “The Family Home will serve as the home-away-from-home for Team USA and those [who] mean the most to them.”

In a departure from previous years, the P&G Family Home will not only provide free food and drink, but will also offer such amenities as 24/7 coverage of the games. Other features include comfortable viewing lounges; an Internet café; pampering for moms at the P&G Beauty and Grooming Salon and Spa, with quick refreshes to complete makeovers by Pantene, COVERGIRL, Olay, Venus and Secret; a Pampers play area for toddlers; a Crest/Oral B Smile Center; a Pringles Snack Lounge!; and complimentary Tide laundry service.

“At the Olympic Winter Games, our athletes are deeply focused on being performance-ready and podium-prepared,” said Lisa Baird, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s (USOC) chief marketing officer. “The P&G Family Home will allow them to have peace of mind and spend stress-free, invaluable time with their families. In addition to providing a centralized location for the families of U.S. Olympians, the program gives Team USA a place to interact and celebrate their achievements.”

On the consumer side, P&G brand Pringles has introduced the Pringles Pop Art Can Creator site at www.Pringles.com/popart, where fans can customize their own cans with new Team USA can designs. For every can creation submitted and approved by April 25, 2010, the brand will make a 50-cent donation to the USOC.

The Web site will additionally feature winning can submissions from Team USA athletes in February, along with the winners’ photos and biographies. The P&G Family Home Pringles Snack Lounge! will enable athletes and their families to create their own can designs on-site in Vancouver, as well as indulge in Pringles snacks.

Pringles is also offering commemorative Team USA Pringles products in select retail locations across the United States.
X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds