Last updated on September 6th, 2012 at 11:23 am
Coca-Cola plans to celebrate its 125th anniversary all summer long with a variety of activities from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The 125 Years of Summer Fun, beginning May 8th, features two summer-long programs, promotions, advertising and celebratory packaging.
“For 125 years, Coca-Cola has refreshed the world and celebrated with people as they enjoy fun times with family and friends,” said Stuart Kronauge, VP, Coca-Cola Trademark Brands, Coca-Cola North America.
Special 8-oz. commemorative bottles will mark the 125th anniversary and celebrate 125 Days of Summer Fun. During the summer, a brand new package size, a 1.25 liter bottle for Coca-Cola, will hit store shelves. Print and radio ads will draw the connection between 1.25 liters of refreshment and 125 Years of Coca-Cola. For the third summer in a row, limited collector series Coca-Cola packaging will include new iconic summer images meant to convey the fun of a “Day at the Beach,” through sunglasses, surfboards and flip flops, and a “Day at the Park,” through baseballs, kites, picnic baskets and stars and stripes.
The first program, available through My Coke Rewards, offers a variety of rewards including concert ticket vouchers, theme park tickets and experiences, trips to national parks and beach prize packs. In the second, prizes can be instantly claimed with special text-to-win codes found under the caps of Coca-Cola trademark brands. Featured items include movie passes, concert cash, airline ticket vouchers and gift cards for electronics.
National advertising running on key programs such as American Idol and the Coca-Cola 600 will be tagged with special “125 Years of Sharing Happiness” messaging. Shoppers will also see special 125th anniversary displays in their local retail outlets and collectible cups in food service locations. The Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain dispenser is even joining the celebration by upping its offering of drink choices from 106 to 125.
Coca-Cola associates will also join the effort by taking part in a special Day of Service, where Coca-Cola associates will say thank you to the communities where The Coca-Cola Co. operates by joining their families to volunteer in their local communities.
One such event was held early on April 30 when Coca-Cola and historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, two of Atlanta’s leading community icons, marked their shared 125th anniversaries by pairing volunteers from both organizations to prepare disaster relief kits for Georgia’s families and distribute clothing and packaged food to those in need within the downtown Atlanta community. The event took place within the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and at Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
About the feature photo: ATLANTA, May 6, 2011 — The headquarters building of The Coca-Cola Company is illuminated against the skyline of Atlanta as a ‘thank you’ to the world in celebration of the Company’s 125th Anniversary, to be marked on May 8. The visual display is the world’s largest single-building illumination covering more than 210,000 square feet. Visual design and projection by Obscura Digital. Photo credit: Michael Pugh.
