Coca-Cola Dives into New Social Media Campaign During Earth Month

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Joins forces with Facebook fans to drive donations to Ocean Conservancy via new app

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Coca-Cola North America wants everyone to join "fins" in a new Facebook campaign to raise awareness of Earth Month and help support Ocean Conservancy, the nation's oldest and largest marine conservation organization. Through a new Facebook application, users can "oceanize" themselves into a playful underwater photo. For every person who dives into this new app, Coca-Cola will donate $1, up to a total of $200,000, to support Ocean Conservancy's marine debris program identifying policies and solutions to preventing trash from reaching our ocean and waterways. Also, through the Company's MyCokeRewards points program and a direct donation-matching program through LivePositively.com, Coca-Cola will contribute up to an additional $50,000.

"It's time to close the loop - from product design to disposal, we all have a role to play in keeping our oceans, lakes and rivers free from the dangers of marine debris," said Vikki Spruill, President and CEO of Ocean Conservancy. "For the past 15 years, Coca-Cola has been an instrumental part of our work, engaging people from all around the world to do their part for the health and resiliency of our oceans and waterways. Through this social media effort, we can further increase awareness of the urgent need to clean up the environment, raise funds to support our efforts and urge everyone to give back to the ocean that gives us so much."

Facebook users will be able to use this new application by visiting www.livepositively.com/joinfins to create fun underwater images, share and embed them within their own profile pages, and also share them via the site's status update newsfeed. The "oceanized" images can be saved to a "Let's All Join Fins" photo album, which ultimately can be shared with Facebook friends.

The Company also will launch a print and online advertising campaign to complement the Facebook program. The campaign reminds people that "71% of the Earth's surface is ocean. Shouldn't 100% of it be clean?" The new advertisements invite consumers to support the cause by donating their time, money or MyCokeRewards points to Ocean Conservancy and lets them know that Coca-Cola will honor their commitment with a contribution. Since 1995, The Coca-Cola Company has supported Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), the world's largest one-day volunteer event on behalf of clean oceans and waterways. In 2008, Coca-Cola launched a multi-year partnership with Ocean Conservancy through a $1 million pledge to support the ICC. That same year, nearly 50,000 Coca-Cola system associates, their friends and families in 35 markets around the world participated in the ICC, and in the United States, system employees contributed nearly 25,000 hours of volunteer time in the Cleanup.

"Using this entertaining, unique social media campaign to partner with Facebook fans, creating a full interactive communication program to support Ocean Conservancy, is just one of the many ways we are engaging people to lessen their climate footprint -- not just during Earth Month, but all year long," said Celeste Bottorff, Vice President, Living Well, Coca-Cola North America. "At The Coca-Cola Company, we believe we can make a positive difference on the planet through our employees, our consumers, our partners - and our innovative product packaging."

Brands Go Green

In addition to the Facebook initiative, several of the Company's brands will support earth-friendly programs during the month of April: 

    --  DASANI(R) has commissioned the sales of limited-edition stylish green
        hats created from everyday household materials by designer Erica Domesek
        to benefit Ocean Conservancy.
    --  On dasani.com, people can find ways to shrink their carbon footprint
        through daily eco-friendly tips that can be shared through Facebook,
        Twitter or email. DASANI(R) will make a one dollar donation, up to a
        total of $25,000, every time tips or recycling trivia are shared from
        the site. Visit www.dasani.com/30ways for more information.
    --  DASANI(R) also will continue to promote the launch of its 100 percent
        recyclable PlantBottle(TM) plastic bottle packaging, made from up to 30
        percent plant-based, renewable materials.
    --  Sprite(R) launched Sprite Tabs for Habitat program, which asks people to
        donate unique green tabs from 12-ounce single cans to generate up to
        $500,000 for Habitat for Humanity. A percentage of the total funds
        raised will be allocated to help retrofit homes with water conserving
        appliances. Visit http://www.spritetabsforhabitat.com for more
        information.

These Earth Month initiatives, along with the Company's many environmental programs, are part of its Live Positively philosophy, which strives to make a positive difference in the lives of its consumers and the communities where it operates. "We've staked a clear leadership path to achieve our environmental goals, including water conservation, recycling and innovative packaging," said Bottorff.

To learn more about Coca-Cola's environmental commitments and how to contribute to Ocean Conservancy, visit www.livepositively.com/ocean.

About Ocean Conservancy and International Coastal Cleanup

Ocean Conservancy is the world's foremost advocate for the oceans. Through science-based advocacy, research and public education, we inform, inspire and empower people to speak and act for the oceans.

Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup is the world's largest volunteer event of its kind. Each year, hundreds of thousands of volunteers around the world remove trash and debris from our ocean, rivers and lakes and record everything they find. Ocean Conservancy compiles and analyzes this information to develop the world's only global snapshot of the problem of trash in our ocean. The 25th annual International Coastal Cleanup is scheduled for September 25th. To learn more, visit: www.oceanconservancy.org.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

This press release has an accompanying Smart Marketing Page. You can access the Smart Marketing Page via the following link: http://www.businesswire.com/smp/Coca-Cola_EarthMonth/.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6245908&lang=en 


    Source: The Coca-Cola Company

Released April 14, 2010