Coca-Cola Defends Olympics Deal

by Jarrett Martineau | July 7, 2008 at 05:00 pm | 1028 views | 19 comments

It's not surprising that Coca-Cola is defending its sponsorship of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing but what is problematic, in my view, is Coke's failure to differentiate between the "credo of the Olympic movement" and the politics, policies, and practices of the Olympic host nation.

The chairman of soft drinks giant Coca-Cola has defended the firm's Olympic sponsorship in Beijing despite protests about China's role in Tibet.

Neville Isdell told the BBC the firm supported the "credo of the Olympic movement", and agreed deals well before it knew where each Games would be held.

The company, whose Olympic involvement dates back to 1928, was also a sponsor for the 1936 Games in Berlin.

Mr Isdell said he would have agreed to that deal too, had he been in charge.

"The sponsorship would have been committed four or five years ahead of that, and don't forget Neville Chamberlain was in Berlin on a very popular mission to talk to Hitler," he said.

"Not everything was known in 1938 and the Olympics were in 1936."

Coca-Cola's relationship with the games began with the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.

Other big brands associated with the Games include Adidas, McDonald's, Kodak and VW.

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René

at 18:37 on July 7th, 2008

Choke! and Coke is my favorite, at least Diet Coke, but can't wait for the Coke with Truvia (stevia) sweetener.

René

at 18:39 on July 7th, 2008

NowPublic site glitch.

Claudio!

at 11:07 on July 9th, 2008

Chinese Coke and Sprite. Taken in Beijing, on May 25, 2008,around 80 days before the Olimpics Games.

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erutan

at 13:08 on July 9th, 2008

Shanghai

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Evil Patron

at 14:08 on July 9th, 2008

This was from my Global Marketing class in college.

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kats

at 14:36 on July 9th, 2008

I took this picture in september 2007, during a business meeting in Shenzhen, China.

kats has contributed a photo to this story.

wmafloater

at 14:59 on July 9th, 2008

Coca Cola advertisment as photographed July 4, 2008 aboard a 1923 Harriman Pullman Railroad Car at the Grand Canyon.

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BrooklynD

at 16:21 on July 9th, 2008

Corporate sponsors of the Olympics have an obligation to speak out about the deteriorating human rights situation in China, especially since companies like Coca-Cola are so vocal about their supposed commitment to the principles of human rights and corporate social responsibility. Coca-Cola is a member of the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights, a group of companies that have pledged to apply human rights principles in their businesses and urge other companies to adhere to the same standards. Discouraging and hypocritical then, that Coca-Cola and other sponsors of the Olympics have remained largely silent.

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kimberlychaotic1

at 17:22 on July 9th, 2008

Throughout the times, since the Olympics began, the Olympics have always been about unity of nations no matter what was going on in the world. The Olympics have always given athletes the chance to come together and put the world politics behind them. With Coke supporting these Olympics like the many others they have, they are just holding with traditions that have always gone on.

That being said, with myself being a Buddhist, I agree that what is happening overseas is horrific, and cruel, and find myself caught in the middle as to how I feel about Coke's support, as well as our own President's. I hope that maybe they see this as a way to open up negotiations. This is just my hope, but you never know.

Coke has always been about diversity, they have always stood behind that, and with what is going on, in one sense they are showing that, and in another, they are supporting those whom hold back and torture other's diversity.

kimberlychaotic1

at 17:46 on July 9th, 2008

The international coke image is mine...so cool it was used.

bnycastro

at 20:11 on July 9th, 2008

I think Coca Cola Company is right to support the Olympics. It is business anyway and it is a good business move to have your brand plastered all over a world wide sporting event and visible to the largest population too. So layoff Coca Cola.

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quirogadavid

at 21:20 on July 9th, 2008

well y love Coca-Cola and there is nothing more special to me. Dose colors remain in my head since I was a small boy so it`s an honor to me create and take these photos.

Thanks to Coca-Cola and his support to Olympic movement.

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NP_1_834554

at 01:23 on July 10th, 2008

Taken just outside beijing - some years back now.

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dan_andrews

at 08:43 on July 11th, 2008

Took this picture coming from Hong Kong to Kowloon on the fiery. My final destination was to our plant in Shenzhen. This can had the old pull off tab that you can use as a fish hook (as seen on Mcgiver TV show [joke]).

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tulipyaaa

at 10:40 on July 11th, 2008

CoCa CoLa ,,,, my Favorite
i took this pic. in Turkey ( esteklal Street)

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desertmex

at 16:07 on July 11th, 2008

"disfruta [enjoy] coca-cola." i don't drink the stuff, besides health reasons, bad politics. but i own this table with old coca-cola signage from mexico, my home country where coca-cola's got a real strong grip over the economy and the people.

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