Coca-Cola has been making a major push to build awareness for the 12th Special Olympics World Summer Games that kicked off in Shanghai, China this week.
Coca-Cola’s efforts, including school outreach, Internet activity, outdoor ads, retail displays and events signage on 20,000 coolers and vending machines in Shanghai, culminated with a $1 million donation to the Special Olympics.
“The World Summer Games provide us an opportunity to give something back to the community,” said Coca-Cola president and CEO Muhtar Kent, in a statement.
For the past two months, specially designed bottles of Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta have been on sale at retail outlets in the greater Shanghai region bearing the Special Olympics-related message “Full Loving Heart, Full Refreshing Enjoyment. A percentage of sales of those beverages have been set aside for the Special Olympics.
A special section of the Coca-Cola China Web site, at ICoke.cn, has provided information updates about the games. More than 1,000 volunteers from two dozen multinational companies came together in early June for sports and social activities with students from special education schools in Shanghai and Beijing.
An online auction conducted from June through September offered Coke collectibles, including a Special Olympics T-shirt signed by Olympics hurdling gold medalist Liu Xiang and a crystal bottle artworks signed by Liu Xiang and basketball star Yao Ming.
During the Oct. 2-11 games competition, Coca-Cola expects to serve more than 3 million complimentary beverages at the various event venues.
Coca-Cola has been a Special Olympics sponsor since 1968 and is currently the only corporate sponsor of the Olympics, Paralympic Games and the Special Olympics World Games.
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