Behind Coca-Cola’s Olympics strategy—including a Gwen Stefani-Anderson .Paak song

Coca-Cola Co. is taking a new marketing approach during the 2024 Olympics, putting greater emphasis on plugging all of its brands rather than only its Coke trademark. But it is still looking to send a global message of Coke-like togetherness, with tailored local ads and activations, and a heavy infusion of music. While some aspects of Coke’s game plan are new to the Paris Games, no corporate brand has been a part of the Olympic movement for longer. Coke has been an advertising partner of every Olympics since 1928 in the Netherlands; 2028 in Los Angeles will mark 100 years. Coke’s current agreement with the International Olympic Committee was signed in 2022 and lasts through the Brisbane Games in 2032. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs That longevity has given the brand the benefit of taking a long view on its Olympic strategy, said Brad Ross, Coca-Cola’s VP of global sports and entertainment marketing and partnerships, in an interview. “When we signed the 10-year agreement what we wanted to do is look at it holistically,” Ross said. “By that I mean, not just through the lens of the next Olympics and the next city, but the next 10 years of the Olympics.” Also read: Brands’ marketing plans for the Olympics Hello World Coca-Cola is kicking off this year’s Games in Paris with a bang, dropping an original song called “Hello World” performed by Anderson .Paak and Gwen Stefani, and written and produced by Grammy-winning songwriter Ryan Tedder. Coca-Cola said the song was meant to engage a younger generation of fans and to “inspire everyday greatness” among athletes and fans, echoing the theme of Coca-Cola’s overarching Olympic message. “Hello World” will be available on streaming platforms globally beginning today. The video shows off Coke colors and iconography. The song is among the many ways Coke has leveraged music in the run-up to the Olympics. The brand was a title sponsor of the torch relay in France, staging concerts at six stops along the route, with “millions” tuning in via live streams powered by Coke Studio, the brand’s music platform. The concert events facilitated 750,000 product samples, according to Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey, speaking at an earnings conference call this week. Integrating music into Coke’s Olympic strategy acknowledges a “convergence” in cultural properties, Ross said. “For us, this was about connecting the dots between sports and music, and bringing it all together, which I think is incredibly exciting,” Ross said of the “Hello World” song. “And I think it just opens the aperture for those folks that are interested in the Olympics. You know, some of them will hear the song first before coming in and watching the Olympics, or vice versa.” Portfolio approach Coke’s 10-year vision for the Olympics involves leveraging the partnership to create or deepen relationships with Olympics viewers; emphasizing its corporate reputation by aligning with Olympic values around sustainability and diversity; and driving the business with customers, said Ross. This year’s effort involves pushing five brands from the company portfolio—Coke, Fairlife Core Power, Minute Maid, Smartwater and Powerade—by themselves, and together. The ads mark a change from previous Games where Coke trademark was the dominant brand, and reflects response to the range of different customer “need states” that the portfolio meets, Ross said. Coca-Cola has slowly begun intermingling its brands in advertising, most notably in “The New Guy” ad that debuted early this year. “In Tokyo [in 2021], we started to try this [portfolio approach] a little bit, but we really fine-tuned it now for what you’re going to see in Paris,” Ross said. “We’ve used our portfolio of brands because we believe that our portfolio of brands is our strength. And we believe that as a consumer, you have a different needs at different times of the day.” “Celebrate Everyday Greatness,” the Olympics initiative, is a global campaign that regions can localize through a “digital toolkit”—an example of how Coke is using technology to aid advertising efficiency. In the U.S. and Canada, the campaign includes ads featuring Olympic and Paralympic athletes shown drinking different brands at different times during the day. Packages on all five brands have QR codes giving consumers the chance to win prizes—and better chances to win if they mix brands. Athletes are pushing individual brands, including Kate Ledecky for Core Power, and Sha'Carri Richardson and Simone Biles for Powerade. Agencies involved in the company’s Olympics marketing include Coca-Cola Co.-dedicated agency, WPP Open X, led by Oglivy and supported by EssenceMediaCom, VML and Hogarth. Hug motif Coke has adopted a “hug” motif for Paris, presenting a comprehensive new take on a longstanding brand association. The approach was inspired by a moment in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when fellow swimmers embraced South African Gold-medal winner Tatjana Schoenmaker after Schoenmaker broke the world record in the 200-meter breaststroke. Although the pandemic limited attendance to the Japan event, Ross was one of the few who witnessed it live—and as a South Africa native himself, said he was personally inspired. For Coke, the embrace could be especially poignant now that the pandemic has receded. In a brand film featuring Schoenmaker and fellow swimmers Lilly King, Annie Lazor and Kaylene Corbett, it’s hugs that become contagious. “The values our company has around inclusivity and bringing people together have been cornerstone for many, many years,” Ross said. “I think you’ll see it in full glory this time. Because of what we went through, it’s a chance for Coke to have a point of view on things like this. It’s an area we’ve played in for many, many years.” Coke is supporting the hug theme with specially designed cans that when placed next to another, create an embrace. People purchasing a pair have the opportunity to win prizes. At the Games, a “hug cam” will capture athletes and others embracing to publish on social channels. Decades of experience as an Olympics advertiser has taught Coke a few things about what works in sports partnerships, Ross said. “I think the corporations that do it right and authentically are the ones that can benefit the most,” he said. “You can pay a sponsorship fee, you can do a badging exercise, but you’ve got to stand for something. I think it’s how you leverage the partnership that goes beyond the transactional element and can touch into brand attributes and brand values … and where that intersect comes together corporations can find that sweet spot. It’s not always easy.”

Behind Coca-Cola’s Olympics strategy—including a Gwen Stefani-Anderson .Paak song

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