Powerade Gives Athletes Inspiration to "Keep Playing" in Brand's First Global Marketing Campaign
Powerade Has Been 'Chosen by FIFA to Hydrate 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) Players' and Will Be Pitch Side at Every Match During South Africa Tournament
New Microsite www.youtube.com/powerade Uses Interactive Film "deep-dive" Technology to Depict Powerade's Functional Benefits And Brand Attitude
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In the brand's first-ever global integrated marketing campaign, Powerade will give athletes the inspiration and ability to "Keep Playing," through a comprehensive campaign highlighted by an innovative online experience and the presence of Powerade on the pitch during the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) South Africa. The campaign theme "Keep Playing" alludes to the insight that passionate sports players love the game of football and never want a great game to end.
When the world's top footballers compete for the sport's ultimate prize during the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM), they will be able to reach for a Powerade to hydrate. FIFA has officially designated Powerade as "Chosen by FIFA to Hydrate 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) Players."
"FIFA only chooses the best technical partners to work with and we are delighted to be able to offer all players Powerade during the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament," said Professor Jiri Dvorak, FIFA Chief Medical Officer. "Players know they have to stay hydrated at all times and the effective hydration and energy Powerade gives them will help them perform at their best and hopefully go a long way to achieving an exciting and competitive tournament for all the countries involved."
During the month long tournament Powerade will be pitch side at all 10 venues, hydrating 736 players from 32 countries before, during and after all 64 games, from the opening game between South Africa and Mexico on June 11, all the way through to the Final in Johannesburg on July 10, 2010. A specially designed sports drink bottle from Powerade also was unveiled today that will be seen on pitch at the matches this summer.
England striker Wayne Rooney, commenting on the designation said, "For me, hydration tools such as Powerade are a vital part of my kit bag and they really help me to keep up performance levels, whether in training or during matches."
Powerade also unveiled a novel experience online that depicts what happens inside the human body when faced with different physical and mental scenarios while playing football. The digital film hosted on www.youtube.com/powerade, showcases a 'never-ending' football game played around the world and allows a viewer to click on certain frames for a "deep-dive" look at what is happening inside the minds and bodies of the characters. In one example, a viewer can follow the course of Powerade inside a player's body to see how various organ functions are impacted and learn how nutrient delivery enhances performance. The "deep-dive" technique is a relatively new approach in digital film creation.
Powerade is a brand of The Coca-Cola Company, a FIFA Partner and one of the longest-standing corporate partners of FIFA with a formal association since 1974. The Powerade brand will be part of the Company's overall sponsorship marketing activation around the FIFA World Cup.
"We are delighted that FIFA has chosen Powerade to hydrate the world's best footballers during the FIFA World Cup," said Mark Greatrex SVP, Still Beverages, The Coca-Cola Company. "The FIFA World Cup(TM) is the biggest sporting event in 2010 and an incredible platform for us to showcase the brand to a worldwide audience. This is a major milestone for the Powerade brand and an indication of the importance of the sports drink category in our portfolio of beverages."
Along with the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) logo, the designation will feature prominently in all brand channels, including packaging, point of sale materials and 2010 FIFA World Cup merchandise and signage. Global marketing efforts for the Powerade brand will be activated in its top 20 markets accounting for 95 percent of the brand's volume, before and during the tournament.
Research has shown that as little as 2 percent dehydration can seriously affect a player's performance. Powerade, when consumed throughout extended exercise, is designed to provide effective hydration and maintain performance by helping to replace essential fluids, carbohydrates and body salts lost during such exercise.
For more information please visit www.powerade.com.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company 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.thecocacolacompany.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photo of the Powerade sports drink bottle is available in the Press Center Press Kits at www.thecoca-colacompany.com/presscenter/presskit_fifa_powerade2010.html.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6233103&lang=en
Source: The Coca-Cola Company
Released March 31, 2010