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Coke launches sustainability advertising series
Coca-Cola has launched a campaign highlighting its health and sustainability credentials in an effort to ward off ongoing criticism of its sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The brand is running a series of print advertisements highlighlighting its recycling efforts, healthy drink options and the amount of people it employees in the UK.
One advertisement explains how the company is working with The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to ensure London 2012 is “the most sustainable Games in history”. Another declares that it “offers more choice than you think” and how it is “proud to offer 18 drinks including a variety that are are low and no calorie”. Each creative points consumers to its corporate responsibility and sustainability summary 2011/12 website to explain its efforts in more detail.
A Coca-Cola spokeswoman says: “The Olympic Games provides a fantastic opportunity for us to raise awareness of the progress we, and our bottling partner Coca-Cola Enterprises, are making to deliver our sustainability commitments in the UK. The Olympics coming to the UK has helped us accelerate these plans and bring about lasting improvements within our operations.”
A recent report by The Childrens’ Food Campaign, dubbed “The Obesity Games”, claimed that corporate sponsorship accounts for les than 10% of the funding for the London 2012 Olympics. Fast food sponsors are said to contribute just 2% of the International Olympic Committee’s income, which it criticised because they are given a huge platform to market their brands by associating themselves with the event.
At the time, Coca-Cola Great Britain’s Olympic Portfolio Director James Eadie defended its sponsorship and said: “The Olympics gives us an opportunity to demonstrate what the modern business is all about and allows