Coca-Cola gears up for Olympics

ATLANTA Coca-Cola is launching a new “Connect with the world over a Coke” campaign, with ads starring six American, to be launched May 19 and run during the Olympics in August. The campaign consists of ad spots, limited-edition Coke cans and a new Web site, MyCoke.com.

During the Olympic Games this summer, Coke will run ads featuring basketball player LeBron James; U.S. gold medalist for swimming, Natalie Coughlin; triathlon runner Andy Potts, and others, to form a “six-pack” of athletic stars.

Coke said it will alternate the can designs every 2-3 weeks, something competitor, Pepsi, often has done in the past. Additionally, fridge packs of Coke, bottle labels and individual cans will feature the Coke logo in different languages, such as Ethiopian, Mandarin and Russian.

Hendrick Steckhan, president and general manager of sparkling beverages of Coca-Cola North America, said, “By combining Coca-Cola cans in different languages with six amazing athletes, we’ve created a program that celebrates global communities coming together and the unifying spirit of the Olympic Games and Coca-Cola.”

Targeting teenagers, MyCoke.com will become an “online Olympic destination” where guests can download digital assets, design virtual Coke bottles and enter a sweepstakes to spend times snowboarding with Gretchen Bleiler, Olympic gold medalist.