(BUSINESS WIRE)--There’s a giant new state-of-the-art Coca-Cola bottle stepping up to the plate, and it’s sure to be a hit with Braves fans. The sparkling new 49-foot-tall Coca-Cola Contour bottle will be unveiled at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves, on July 16th.
The new 21st century rendition of the iconic Coca-Cola Contour bottle replaces the original Coca-Cola Sky Field bottle, which stood high above left field for the past 12 years. With a high-resolution, programmable screen serving as the bottle’s famous red label and lights that can produce millions of different colors, the new bottle will offer a high-tech way to celebrate a Braves’ home run while carrying on the traditional fireworks celebration for which the original bottle was known.
“Enjoying an ice-cold Coca-Cola at a Braves game is the essence of summer in Atlanta, and we think the new Coca-Cola bottle really captures the specialness of that experience,” said Katie Bayne, chief marketing officer, Coca-Cola North America. “The bottle is designed to be entertaining for the fans as well, and we think it will add a new sense of excitement to the experience of being at Turner Field for a game.”
The outside of the bottle is made of a polycarbonate high-impact material and traced in 3,000 tri-colored LED's (Light-Emitting Diodes), each capable of producing over 16 million different colors. The new bottle will be officially unveiled by Coca-Cola and Braves executives including Hank Aaron at a special ceremony at home plate before the start of the Braves July 16th game against the New York Mets at Turner Field. During that game, Coca-Cola and the Braves will distribute genuine pieces of memorabilia from the original Coca-Cola Sky Field bottle to a number of lucky Braves fans. The bottle was fabricated by Freeman Company of Dallas, Texas.
The festivities will continue throughout the weekend, with Coca-Cola Recycling Nights on July 17th and 18th. The Coca-Cola Recycling Education Vehicle (REV) will be on site, featuring recycling trivia games where fans can win prizes, including a Braves Recycling Team t-shirt made from recycled PET. In addition, a concert by the All American Rejects after the Braves game will take place on July 18th.
“The iconic Coca-Cola bottle has been a part of Turner Field since we opened our doors, and the new bottle is an entertaining reminder to Braves fans that America’s favorite pastime and ice-cold Coca-Cola help make summer time special,” said Derek Schiller, executive vice president, Sales and Marketing, Atlanta Braves.
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Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Coca-Cola to Unveil New Bottle at Turner Field
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Iconic Turner Field Coca-Cola Bottle Bids Farewell
(BUSINESS WIRE)--Going…going…gone! After 12 years, more than 1,000 home run celebrations and countless family ballpark memories, the 42-foot-tall Coca-Cola Contour bottle standing high above left field will be retired from Coca-Cola Sky Field at Turner Field on July 2. The iconic Coca-Cola bottle has served as a focal point of celebration for Braves fans since its creation in 1997. A new 21st century version of the classic bottle, slated to hit Coca-Cola Sky Field later this summer, is sure to impress.
“The original bottle wonderfully symbolized Coca-Cola’s longstanding relationship with America’s favorite pastime,” said Katie Bayne, chief marketing officer, Coca-Cola North America. “The Coca-Cola bottle in Coca-Cola Sky Field has stood as a distinctive reminder that drinking a Coke is part of summer’s simple pleasures, just like being at a Braves game with your friends and family.”
The Coca-Cola bottle, made of over 11,000 pieces of authentic Atlanta Braves baseball equipment including 6,680 baseballs, 290 bats and 86 gloves, was built as Coca-Cola Sky Field’s main attraction. Four hundred and thirty-five feet from home plate and 80 feet above the field, the Coca-Cola bottle is positioned in Turner Field’s most unique vantage point and is the source of many lasting baseball memories.
Fans are encouraged to visit the original bottle for one last photo and to post these photos and their memories on the Coca-Cola Bottle Facebook page, http://tinyurl.com/kt4hoc, created especially for the bottle’s official retirement. In honor of the famous bottle’s retirement, the first 15,000 fans to enter the stadium on July 2, will receive a commemorative 8-oz bottle with a depiction of Coca-Cola Sky Field.
“Coca-Cola Sky Field and the Coca-Cola bottle really set Turner Field apart from other Major League Baseball stadiums,” said Derek Schiller, executive vice president, Sales and Marketing, Atlanta Braves. “The bottle is not only entertaining, it reminds fans that one of America’s most iconic brands was created right here in Atlanta. Braves baseball and Coca-Cola are both sources of pride for Atlantans, so we do all we can to enhance the fan experience at Turner Field.”
The new Coca-Cola bottle will be constructed in Coca-Cola Sky Field later this summer. A special rendering of the new design will be revealed at an upcoming game before the bottle makes its official debut. Promising to be a more high-tech version of the beloved original bottle, the new bottle will offer even more ways to entertain Braves fans. “We can't wait to build on the legacy of our Braves partnership and share our new bottle with Atlantans later this summer,” said Bayne.
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Friday, January 16, 2009
Coca-Cola Enterprises Launches Largest Hybrid Electric Delivery Trucks in North America
Today Governor Sonny Perdue and EPA Deputy Regional Administrator Stan Meiburg joined Coca-Cola Enterprises Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John F. Brock to announce the deployment of the largest hybrid electric delivery trucks in North America.
“I want to commend Coca-Cola Enterprises for receiving this award, and I am proud that this great company relies on Georgia as its home base,” said Governor Perdue. “Their investment in hybrid electric vehicles distinguishes the company amongst its peers and ensures that it remains at the forefront as a true leader in corporate responsibility and sustainability.”
The hybrid electric tractors announced today are the standard bulk delivery truck the company uses for large deliveries. They use about 30 percent less fuel and produce about 30 percent fewer emissions than standard tractors. A motor/generator, working with the transmission and a series of lithium ion batteries, allows the truck to source electrical power instead of gas when traveling at speeds below 30 MPH, reducing emissions and fuel use.
CCE plans to incrementally deploy 185 of the hybrid electric trucks across the United States and Canada in 2009, bringing their total number of hybrid electric delivery trucks to 327, the largest such fleet in North America. The company already has 142 smaller hybrid electric delivery vehicles on the road.
Meiburg, who presented CCE with a leadership award on behalf of the Southeast Diesel Collaborative for the company’s commitment to hybrid vehicles to reduce diesel emissions, added, “EPA is proud to recognize the efforts of Coca-Cola Enterprises to improve air quality and protect public health. Emissions from diesel engines are a serious public health threat and environmental challenge, and reducing these emissions is a priority for EPA.”
“Coca-Cola Enterprises has long been responsive to the needs of our local communities, and the continued expansion of our hybrid-electric fleet here in our hometown of Atlanta and across North America demonstrates our commitment to energy efficiency and climate change,” said Brock. “With the deployment of our newer, larger hybrid delivery vehicles, CCE is continuing to explore ways to help our customers and communities through our corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts. These efforts help us capture operational efficiencies, drive innovation and effectiveness, and eliminate waste while simultaneously protecting the environment.”
Beginning in 2001, CCE began an intensive research and design program with their suppliers to develop, test and produce hybrid electric trucks. The company plans to deploy the large hybrid tractors to: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, DC. Additionally, the company plans to deploy incremental hybrid 12-bay trucks to Albuquerque, Columbus, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, and Montreal.
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Thursday, November 6, 2008
Neville Isdell, Chairman of The Coca-Cola Company, to Receive Ethics Advocate Award from Georgia State
Neville Isdell, chairman of the Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company, will receive the 2008 Ethics Advocate Award from the Center for Ethics and Corporate Responsibility, a unit of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. The award will be presented at the Carter Center on Thursday, November 6.
The Ethics Advocate Award honors an individual who is an effective agent of change in a particular field or in the business community at large. Mr. Isdell was selected for advancing corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability within The Coca-Cola Company as well as for inspiring business leaders around the globe to address their firms' responsibilities.
"Neville Isdell has challenged his company and his corporate peers to engage stakeholders and critics in their firms' initiatives to create healthy, sustainable communities," said Steve Olson, director of the Center for Ethics and Corporate Responsibility. "Whether workforce diversity or human rights; employee and family health or workplace safety; or the sustainable use of water, energy and natural resources, Mr. Isdell has ensured that The Coca-Cola Company is committed to the highest standards of ethics and moral responsibility across its operations."
"It is an honor to accept this recognition on behalf of the men and women of The Coca-Cola Company," Mr. Isdell said. "Our business depends on consumers choosing to invite us into their lives, and we understand that consumers only issue those invitations to companies and brands they trust and respect. This award is indeed an honor, but it is also an affirmation that our work must continue and evolve if we are to stay relevant."
Mr. Isdell is the sixth individual to receive the Ethics Advocate Award. He joins:
Charles Brewer, founder of MindSpring Enterprises and Green Street Properties, for advocacy of values-based management, 2007
The Honorable Shirley Franklin, Mayor, City of Atlanta, for restoring trust in city government through an "ethics first" approach, 2006
Bill Bolling, Executive Director, Atlanta Community Food Bank, for compelling businesses to fulfill their responsibility to hungry and illiterate citizens, 2005
Ray C. Anderson, founder and Chairman, Interface, Inc., for advocacy of environmental sustainability, 2004
The Honorable Robert Benham, Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia, for advocacy of ethics, equality and fairness in judicial reform, 2003
Like his predecessors, Mr. Isdell will be presented with a sculpture consisting of a sphere within a crystal cube, resting on a patina bronze that bears the honoree's name. Malcolm Grear, a world-renowned artist best known to Atlantans for the Quilt of Leaves motif he designed for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, created the sculpture.
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Friday, October 17, 2008
Georgia Southern Graduate Student Project Makes Vending Machines More Energy-Efficient
When you stop for a few seconds to buy a cold drink from a vending machine, you probably don’t put any thought into how much energy the machine uses.
But a group of Georgia Southern University biology graduate students did – and found a way for the campus to save energy and money.
Eleven students in last fall’s Graduate Seminar in Sustainability researched possible service projects to make the Georgia Southern campus more energy-efficient. After discussing several ideas, they proposed putting energy-saving devices on vending machines.
“It was the best project because it is not just an awareness campaign – it is going to make a concrete difference,” said Dr. Lissa Leege, who taught the sustainability seminar along with Dr. Michelle Zjhra. “The work the students did is now really going to pay off on campus.”
The students’ research found that vending machines are one of the worst culprits of energy inefficiency, using 20 percent more energy on average than a refrigerator. As a solution, the students turned to the EMS-55, a device from the Coca-Cola Company that powers vending machines down to standby mode when they are not being used.
With $1,000 in funding from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the support of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United in Statesboro, the students were able to purchase 12 of the devices. Three more were donated by Coca-Cola.
“It’s a simple solution, and you can do it for little money,” said graduate student Steve Williams, who led the research. “You see big benefits at a low cost.”
Three test models were put on Coca-Cola machines over the summer, and the rest have been installed this fall. The EMS (Energy Management System)-55 is now in use in 11 buildings: Biology, Forest Drive, Herty, Hollis, Marvin Pittman, Math-Physics, Rosenwald, Deal Hall, Hanner Fieldhouse, the Russell Union and the Williams Center.
The off-campus community will be connected to the initiative as well. The Coke machine at the Boys and Girls Clubs center in Statesboro is also slated to get one of the energy-saving units.
“We felt it was very important to involve our community outside of Georgia Southern in our efforts because community involvement is imperative to make a real difference for a sustainable future,” Williams said.
The energy-saving device uses an infrared motion sensor to power down the machine when no one is using it. So, for example, when the Biology building is vacant at 3 a.m., the vending machine is not constantly running coolant and its brightly-lit façade is turned off.
The EMS-55 also “learns” consumer traffic patterns. If no one uses the machine at a certain time on a certain day, the machine powers down at that same time on the same day the following week.
That all adds up to energy savings of about 33 percent, according to the students’ research. A vending machine without the power controller uses 3,021 kilowatt-hours per year on average, compared to 2,023 per year with one. Multiply that by the 15 machines on campus, and the University reduces its power use by nearly 15,000 kilowatt-hours per year.
“Our first step in sustainability is to increase the efficiency of what we already have,” said Dr. Leege, the director of the Office of Sustainability in the Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology. “We’re not having to change our behavior at all, and this is making a difference in our energy consumption.
The cost savings are just part of the equation, though. The devices also help conserve water and significantly reduce carbon dioxide and other air pollutant emissions.
“The energy efficiency is beneficial economically and environmentally,” Williams said. “While saving the university – and therefore students – money on the electric bill, this one small step also has a number of ripple effects on the environment.”
For example, these devices increase the lifespan of the light bulbs that illuminate the front of the vending machine. That means fewer materials (glass, metals, fluorescent gas, mercury, etc.) are used to manufacture bulbs for Georgia Southern’s machines; Coca-Cola United has to truck fewer bulbs to Savannah to recycle them, which saves gas and reduces harmful emissions; less energy has to be used to recycle those bulbs, which means less coal is mined and burned, which means lower greenhouse gas emissions; and, finally, less waste is generated from the parts of the bulb that cannot be recycled.
“These ripples will be multiplied 30 times since each of the 15 machines is equipped with two fluorescent light bulbs,” Williams said. “Our efforts are like throwing pebbles into the ocean; they make some ripples and waves. If everyone were to take a small step towards sustainability, then it would be like throwing a mountain of pebbles into the ocean.”
That’s not the only ripple effect Dr. Leege is counting on. As with all of Georgia Southern’s sustainability initiatives, she wants to see this project expand. The EMS-55 is reasonably-priced (about $80 per unit), so she hopes the Georgia Southern community will get on board and provide additional units for vending machines on-campus.
The project could not have been possible without the participation of Coca-Cola. Chad Henry, the cold drink manager for Coca-Cola United in Statesboro, said this fit perfectly with Coke’s commitment to be environmentally friendly through steps such as recycling out-of-date products, providing recycling bins and marketing their products with energy-efficient promotional items.
“The Coca-Cola Company is investing in ‘going green,’ and we are glad to have people like Lissa and Steve help us on the Georgia Southern campus,” Henry said. “They came up with the idea and got the wheels turning.”
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Wednesday, September 17, 2008
GMSDC Makes History with Appointment of First Asian-American as Chairman of the Board
BUSINESS WIRE --The Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (GMSDC) announces the election of Dr. Rengen Li, Supplier Diversity Manager at The Coca-Cola Company, as Board Chairman.
A native of China, Dr. Li worked for many years in supplier diversity for The Coca Cola Company. He helped increase the diversity spending threshold at The Coca-Cola Company by more than 450 percent. Rengen will support GMSDC’s Board, leadership and staff in carrying out its mission and strategic plan in compliance with the goals of its constituents and other key stakeholders.
“As the face of ‘Diversity’ evolves in the supplier diversity marketplace, GMSDC remains committed -- more than ever -- to our core of building competency and capacity for ethnic minority business enterprises in the mix,” said GMSDC President & CEO Stacey J. Key. “We anticipate Rengen’s expertise, experience and leadership will support us in mobilizing against our mission and maintain our leadership position in minority business development,” said Key.
Rengen has served held a variety of leadership positions with the Council including most recently as First Vice Chair; Committee Chairman for several committees including Long Range Planning; and Corporate Supplier Diversity Coordinators’ Forum. Li’s two-year term was effective on September 1. Ruby Patton of Cox Communications and GMSDC’s outgoing Interim Chair will serve as First Vice Chairperson on the Board.
“I am honored to hold this position during such an exciting time for minority business development,” said Li. “With hot trends such as globalization presenting challenges as well as enhanced opportunities for both corporate supply management and minority businesses, I’m committed to helping the organization deliver world-class services that help them compete in today’s changing business landscape and maximize all the benefits of supplier diversity partnerships,” Li added.
A testament to his great works in supplier diversity, Rengen has been recognized with multiple honors from organizations across the globe including the Top 50 Asian Americans in Business by Asian American Business Development Center of New York and 100 Men Impacting Supplier Diversity by Minority Business News.
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Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Seeks Applicants for Its 2009 Class
PRNewswire/ -- The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a non-profit organization created to support the higher education of deserving high school seniors in the United States, announces it is accepting scholarship applications now through October 31, 2008.
Each year, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation awards a total of $3 million in achievement-based four-year scholarships to 250 outstanding high school seniors from communities across the nation. The Foundation annually awards 200 Regional scholarships of $10,000 each and 50 National scholarships of $20,000 each. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation evaluates applicants on the basis of demonstrated leadership in academics, school, community and civic activities, as well as personal character and the motivation to serve and succeed.
Applications are available at http://www.coca-colascholars.org/ and must be completed online and submitted by October 31, 2008 of the student's senior year. Criteria for the application and frequently asked questions are also available on the website or by calling (800) 306-2653 for more information.
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Saturday, August 9, 2008
Georgia State Students’ Film to Premiere at Olympics
For most, going to the Olympics as a spectator is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For three Georgia State graduate students — Phoebe Brown, Shanna Gildersleeve and Micah Stansell — and their faculty adviser, Niklas Vollmer, attending this summer’s games in Beijing will offer another unique experience: the world premiere of their documentary film.
The Coca-Cola Co. commissioned Vollmer and his students to film a segment on Doug Stoup, an environmentalist and expeditionist who has led teams to the North and South poles and was selected as a torchbearer for this year’s Olympics. Teams of students from Australia, China, Pakistan, Russia, Tanzania and Turkey also filmed their own segments. After seeing the work from Georgia State, Coca-Cola asked Vollmer, Brown, Gildersleeve and Stansell to edit each five-minute segment into one film.
“Hopefully at some point, we’ll at least make some kind of personal contact with the other students,” Brown says. “We’ve spent a lot more time with their work. As you keep watching, you start feeling like you get a sense of what the people who made it would be like.”
The film blends the different filmmakers’ unique storytelling styles to illustrate the need for global awareness of environmental issues ranging from water pollution to melting glaciers to wildlife conservation. Each segment follows an environmentalist who was selected as an Olympic torchbearer and highlights his or her cause.
“Hopefully, it will effect some sort of change,” Stansell says.
Vollmer says it’s been rewarding to guide his students through the process of putting together the film, calling it a bridge between Georgia State and other universities.
“These three have been great at adapting to something that all of us, when we first agreed to it, had no idea what it really would turn out to be,” he says. “I wanted a sharp crew, and they’re sharp.”
The film will premiere Aug. 13 at the Coca-Cola Shuang Experience Center, a hospitality venue on the Olympic Green.
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Friday, August 1, 2008
Keep Georgia Beautiful Celebrates 30th Anniversary; Unveils New License Plate, Logo and Branding Initiative
PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Keep Georgia Beautiful unveiled a special recycling-themed license plate, new logo and identity/branding initiative yesterday in celebration of its 30th anniversary. The ceremony was held at the New World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta during Keep America Beautiful's Midyear Affiliates Forum.
More than 200 leaders of environmental and community improvement organizations from Keep America Beautiful's national network of affiliates joined in the celebration, which was hosted by Coca-Cola Recycling and its President & CEO John Burgess, a Keep America Beautiful board member, as well as Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Enterprises.
"We would not be celebrating Keep Georgia Beautiful's 30th anniversary if Keep America Beautiful had not approached Governor George Busbee back in 1978 and suggested the establishment of the first Keep America Beautiful state affiliate," Phil Foil, deputy commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, stated during the anniversary reception.
Keep Georgia Beautiful (KGB), housed in the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), is a public-private partnership, allowing it to benefit from the resources of citizens in government, the corporate world, and community organizations. These connections aid in its mission to build and sustain community environmental activities and behaviors resulting in a more beautiful Georgia. Keep Georgia Beautiful became the first Keep America Beautiful statewide affiliate as Georgia Clean & Beautiful in 1978. Keep America Beautiful has since expanded its "Clean Community System" into a national network of nearly 1,000 affiliates and participating organizations.
The Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, which supports the mission of KGB and promotes private sector financial funding for environmental education, unveiled a special license plate in support of DCA's Away-from-Home recycling initiative. The new license plate will raise awareness of recycling and support the Foundation's education programs.
"We need 1,000 pre-orders by the end of the year, so all of you Georgia folks help us out," said Lisa White, materials manager of Atlanta-based SP Recycling and treasurer of the Foundation. "Let's make it happen!"
The Recycle 4 Georgia License Plate order form can be downloaded from www.keepgeorgiabeautiful.org.
In addition, in celebration of KGB's 30th anniversary, a new logo was created by GOTCHA Design, an Atlanta-based "green" design firm. Since receiving Master Vendor Status with the State of Georgia, GOTCHA has successfully worked on brand development for a wide variety of clients including the City of Snellville, Ga., the City of Kennesaw, Ga., the Georgia Urban Forest Council (GUFC), and other businesses and nonprofits.
The Midyear Affiliates Forum, which took place from July 30-August 1 at the Marriott Downtown Atlanta, was keynoted by the Honorable Shirley Franklin, mayor of Atlanta, who shared her vision for the long-term economic viability of Atlanta as a "best in class" sustainable city. In addition, the 2008 conference focused on an array of topics including how to conduct a waste audit in the workplace, building and implementing Keep America Beautiful's Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, rejuvenating the passion of public service, and the benefits of green building.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Georgia Tech Research Institute Hosts Secretary of Transportation
U. S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters toured Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) labs and questioned researchers on the latest technology that addresses transportation issues.
Georgia Tech Interim President Gary Schuster welcomed Secretary Peters and Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Gena Abraham to GTRI’s Cobb County research facility and was pleased to share Georgia Tech’s ongoing research with them.
“One of the broad thrust areas on which we are focused is energy and environmental sustainability, and much of our work in this arena has a direct bearing on transportation,” said Schuster. “More specifically, our work in energy focuses on efficiency, conservation and new sources, and all three of these areas have significance for transportation.”
GTRI researcher Bob Englar described his work on aerodynamics technology developed for jet plane wings and how his team is applying it to tractor trailer trucks to help them conserve fuel.
Their goal is to reduce the drag on 18-wheelers by at least a third, and perhaps even as much as half, which would improve their fuel efficiency by 12 percent or more. A 1 percent improvement in fuel economy in the U.S. heavy truck fleet conserves 200 million gallons of fuel. So a 12 percent improvement means saving more than 2 billion gallons of fuel.
Tom Fuller and his team in the GTRI Center for Innovative Fuel Cell and Battery Technology presented their research with fuel cells. The fuel cell is expected to be the next significant new energy source for transportation. Both Honda and Toyota are road-testing fuel-cell cars, which are much more efficient than today’s hybrids. And last year Georgia Tech successfully flew the largest hydrogen fuel cell-powered aircraft to date.
Coca Cola Enterprises also unveiled the company’s new hybrid Coca Cola delivery vehicles. According to Peters, Georgia Tech researchers are working hard to solve real problems affecting the transportation industry, and Coca Cola Enterprises is showing how new technology is being embraced by industry.
In addition, Secretary Peters announced a new funding plan for the U.S. Transportation Department and used Atlanta as a model for a city willing to try new ways to save and use energy efficiently.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
NASCAR® Driver Kyle Petty Comes Through for Fans Around the Country with Offer of Free Coke Zero
BUSINESS WIRE--For several members of the Coca-Cola Racing Family, a victory in the inaugural Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola was so close they could taste it. Although the drivers were unsuccessful in their bid to take the checkered flag, millions of fans in the U.S. still have an opportunity to get a “Taste of Victory” of their own.
Through the Coke Zero “Taste of Victory” program, if one of the 13 drivers sponsored by Coca-Cola won the Coke Zero 400, fans would be able to enjoy the Real Coke Taste and Zero Calories of Coke Zero for free. Even without a victory, Kyle Petty – a founding member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family and analyst in the TNT broadcast booth for the race – announced that in celebration of the inaugural Coke Zero 400 at iconic Daytona International Speedway, fans would still be able to receive free Coke Zero.
Any U.S. resident 13 years of age or older can simply visit www.CokeZero.com through July 13 and follow the instructions to receive a coupon for a free 20-ounce bottle of Coke Zero (1). In addition to quenching their thirst, fans can help support a charity close to the hearts of Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers. Coke Zero will donate $1 to the Victory Junction Gang Camp on behalf of the first 10,000 people who visit CokeZero.com to request a free coupon.
Founded by Petty and his wife Pattie in honor of their late son Adam, the Victory Junction Gang Camp enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically sound environment.
“It’s pretty sweet to share the real Coke taste and Zero calories of Coke Zero with fans around the country,” said Kyle Petty. “I hope to see millions of people visit CokeZero.com to claim their free 20-ounce bottle and join me in celebrating an exciting Coke Zero 400.”
Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers participating in the “Taste of Victory” program included Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin, Greg Biffle, Elliott Sadler, Jamie McMurray, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Clint Bowyer and David Ragan. Terry Labonte also was eligible as the driver of the #45 Petty Enterprises Dodge.
“We were really rooting for one of our drivers to get to Victory Lane and deliver a taste of victory to people across the U.S.,” said Bill Kelly, senior vice president, Coca-Cola Brands, Coca-Cola North America. “In the end, it was a great race and that’s reason enough to follow through with our offer to give away free Coke Zero and to continue our support of Kyle Petty’s Victory Junction Gang Camp.”
The “Taste of Victory” program is one of many ways Coke Zero has taken a prominent role in NASCAR® this year. Title sponsorship of the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola serves as the centerpiece for the brand’s expanded presence in the sport. In addition, marketing efforts have included the launch of Coke Zero’s first-ever NASCAR®-themed advertising campaign, driver appearances, high-visibility track signage, at-track sampling and much more – all promoting the brand’s core message – Coke Zero has “Real Coke Taste and Zero Calories.”
With a current share of 1.5%, Coke Zero is the only sparkling beverage brand of 350 launched since 2001 to surpass and maintain a 1% market share. By using irreverent, humorous communication and delivering Real Coke Taste and Zero Calories, Coke Zero has established a strong connection with young adult males and achieved the highest trial of any recently launched Coca-Cola North America brand.
The debut of the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola is part of a 10-year sponsorship agreement between Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) and International Speedway Corporation (ISC). Through a variety of track partnerships, brands from CCNA will be refreshing fans at 13 race tracks in 2008 before expanding to 17 race tracks by 2012. Coca-Cola is the official sparkling beverage of NASCAR® and has been involved with stock car racing for more than 40 years. A signature part of Coca-Cola’s innovative NASCAR® program is the Coca-Cola Racing Family – a collection of veteran drivers and rising stars.
(1) Coupons for free 20-ounce bottles of Coke Zero will be redeemable until September 1, 2008 at participating retailers across the country where Coca-Cola products are sold. Limit is one coupon per person. All U.S. residents 13 years of age or older are eligible.
