Coca-Cola is basing its first major Myanmar marketing push around its FIFA global partnership and specifically focusing on its sponsorship of the 2014 World Cup Trophy Tour.
The soft drinks giant, in tandem with agency Ogilvy & Mather Shanghai, has rolled out a new TV spot, created in Myanmar itself, revolving around the trophy tour and presenting the brand as a symbol of hope and opportunity.
The creative links the country’s struggles and return to the world community through the eyes of three young children journeying from their rural home to the city to catch a glimpse of the world’s most famous sporting trophy.
The journey of the three young friends – which includes perseverance and optimism coupled with hope, pride and national connectivity – aims to act as a metaphor for the country’s own journey back into the international fold
Supporting the 60-second TVC, the campaign also includes press ads, radio spots, social media work and outdoor executions, plus PR events and a touring roadshow
The initiative, which includes local talent, began in late November and runs for a month.
The FIFA World Cup 2014 Trophy Tour is taking the world cup trophy to many countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America and Latin America before it settles in Brazil for the 2014 tournament.
In addition to China, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, the sian leg sees it stop at Myanmar’s Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium in Yangon between 25 and 27 December.
Coca-Cola returned to the country in 2012 after an absence of 60 years and Leonardo O’Grady, the brand’s director of integrated marketing and communications said:
‘It is a very special place for us. We have a lot of passion and interest in this new market and the campaign’s focus on the World Cup trophy is a great way to show Myanmar being brought into the larger global context.’
‘The World Cup is a game for everyone, which is completely inclusive across diverse social, economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as football is the universally loved game,’ says Ogilvy & Mather Myanmar creative director Graham Painter. ‘Our team in Myanmar have taken on this sentiment.’
Comment
The Coca-Cola Company is one of FIFA’s longer serving commercial partners – indeed, the drink’s brand has had stadium advertising at every World Cup since 1950 – and it has been an official sponsor of the World Cup since 1978.
2013/14 marks the third time that Coca-Cola has partnered with FIFA on the Trophy Tour to the world: the previous journeys were the first tour in 2006 and the second in 2010.
This year’s adventure sees the cup visit 88 countries across all six FIFA confederations during its 267-day duration.
In addition to Myanmar, the tour visits 49 other nations that have never had the opportunity to host the trophy before.
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/trophy-tour/overview.html
The objective is to give more than one million people around the world the chance to experience football’s most coveted prize in their own communities by getting up close and personal with the cup.
Tour sponsor Coke’s aim for the journey is to ensure that it is the most inclusive and participatory trophy tour ever and among the key elements of the experience are: Brazilian inspired visual identity, digital consumer engagement, legacy programs and both global and local TV spots.
The tour began its journey with a launch ceremony beneath Rio’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue – attended by representatives from FIFA, Coca-Cola and five players representing each of Brazil’s World Cup wins: Zagallo (1958), Amarildo (1962), Rivellino (1970), Bebeto (1994) and Marcos (2002).
Complete tour details, plus videos, pictures and interviews, can be found at the official tour website (www.fifa.com/trophytour), or on the official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/trophytour) and Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/trophytour / @trophytour)
Coke has also partnered with Backplane to create a community of the keenest and most committed football fans in the world based around on online hub at www.coca-colafansunited.com.
This site is constantly updated with behind-the-scenes content and provides fans with a platform to discuss and debate the world’s most popular sport.
Coke is also continuing its strategy of blending music and sport in its global sponsorship activation campaigns – as it did with its London 2012 Move To The Beat campaign (see case study) – and has commissioned and released an official anthem for its 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign called ‘The World is Ours’.
The song, which features vocals from David Correy and sounds from Monobloco, a Brazilian street band, and it brings the music of Brazil to the world and captures the rhythms of samba, baile funk and technobraga.
The song can be heard on Spotify or by visiting www.cokeurl.com/worldisours or on Coke’s YouTube Channel.
According to Joseph Tripodi, executive VP and CMO of The Coca-Cola Company, Coke shares the passion that fans have for football around the world and through our partnership with FIFA we champion the power of football to bring the world together.
‘Like all football fans, we’re especially excited about the 2014 FIFA World Cup taking place in the spiritual home of football and the 2014 FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour will be our opportunity to take the energy and passion of the host nation, Brazil, and share it with millions of football fans around the world,’ says Tripodi.
Links
Mynamar Coca-Cola trophy Tour TVC YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeQR9sQ_n84
Coca-Cola Fans United Website
Coca-Cola World Cup Anthem Site
The Coca-Cola Company Website
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/
The Coca-Cola Company ‘Unbottled’ Blog
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/coca-cola-unbottled/
FIFA Trophy Tour Website
FIFA Trophy Tour Facebook
FIFA Trophy Tour Twitter
www.twitter.com/trophytour
@trophytour
