COCA-COLA AND THE 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP™
Q&A
REFERENCE ONLY – This internal document is not for distribution to media.
CONTENTS
KEY MESSAGES
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
ABOUT THE 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP™ TROPHY TOUR
ABOUT MUSIC
ABOUT THE VISUAL IDENTITY SYSTEM
ABOUT GAMING & THE EA PARTNERSHIP
GENERAL MESSAGING: SPONSORSHIP AND MAJOR EVENTS
GLOBAL QUESTIONS: HOT TOPICS
RUSSIA SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
KEY MESSAGES
- The simple pleasure of drinking a Coca-Cola makes the momentmore special.
- Coca-Cola is getting fans “Ready For” all of the emotions of the FIFA World Cup™.
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
Q: What is the campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™?
A:For the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ Coca-Cola is getting fans across the world “Ready For” all of the emotions of the tournament. Whether experiencing the elation of watching your team win, or disappointment of seeing your country knocked out of the tournament, Coca-Cola invites you to Taste the Feeling, getting you “Ready For” the emotions of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ through the simple pleasure of drinking a Coca-Cola.
Q:What is the Taste the Feeling campaign?
A:Taste the Feeling is the Core Creative Idea behind the Coca-Cola campaign. Taste the Feeling celebrates the way in which drinking a Coca-Cola makes a moment even more special. The campaign will encourage fans to make the feelings experienced throughout the tournament - happy, sad or otherwise - more meaningful with the enjoyment of a Coca-Cola.
Q:How can fans get involved?
A:The campaign will help start millions of conversations between fans of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ about their unique ways of enjoying their experiences of this global event. For many fans, these stories will be about their experience of watching the 2018 FIFA World Cup™
Q: How long will the campaign last?
A: Unlike most traditional campaigns that focus exclusively on the five weeks of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, Coca-Cola will leverage a suite of integrated initiatives spanning multiple months before, during and after the tournament.
Q. What are the specific elements of the campaign?
A: All campaign elements will work in unison to motivate fans of the World Cup to reach for a Coca-Cola, this includes TV, Shopper, Digital, Gaming, Experiential, Music and more.
TV – a collection of FIFA World Cup™ inspired TVC’s will be available globally, celebrating FIFA World Cup™ moments both on and off the pitch helping the world get #ReadyFor the tournament. See relevant factsheet for additional information.
Shopper – to directly engage with consumers in a retail environment an extensive shopper marketing program featuring the new FIFA World Cup™ Visual Identity System will be brought to life globally with key partners.
Digital – a wide range of digital activations will engage consumers through social channels in the run up to and during the tournament. From posts on owned social channels to reactive ‘real time’ opportunities during the FIFA World Cup™ ,we will give fans multiple opportunities to engage with the campaign.
Gaming – through a ground-breaking partnership with EA Sports FIFA 18, Coca-Cola will engage fans directly by playing a key role within the games “Journey” mode featuring Alex Hunter. Beyond this in-game integration, Coca-Cola will also host gaming tournaments and deliver retail promotions.
Experiential – for the fourth time, Coca-Cola will be presenting partner of the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour. This year the Trophy will travel to 50 countries – 24 of which have never been visited before – along a nine month journey across the globe. This unforgettable experience will allow fans around the world to get #ReadyFor the tournament in Russia.
Music – to celebrate the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, Coca-Cola will be partnering with a global music artist to create a music anthem. In certain markets, our global star will collaborate with market artists to create localised tracks.
In addition to all the above, further opportunities including flagbearers, coin-toss and consumer ticket giveaways will be activated on a market specific level
ABOUT THE 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP™ TROPHY TOUR BY COCA-COLA
TheFIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola is visiting 51 countries including hosts Russia, appearing in 91 global cities along the way, across 6 continents.
Q:What is the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola?
A: The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola is an exhibition of the real, one-of-a-kind, solid-gold FIFA World Cup Original Trophy. The event will allow over a million fans to enjoy a rare, close-up view of world football’s greatest prize.
Q. How long will the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola last and when is it taking place?
A. The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour will last a total of 220 days, split into three phases:
- The tour kicked off in Russia on 4th Septemberwith an official launch ceremony in Moscow
- The global phasewill last 97 days, starting on 25th January 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand
- Finally the Trophy will return to Russia on 1st May for the final leg. The Tour will officially finish on 7th June.
Q: Was the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola ever held in Russia before?
A: The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca- Cola has visited Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia during previous tours. The 2018 FIFA World Cup is being hosted in Russia for the first time, which is why the domestic tour will visit 24 Russian cities and come within one hour’s drive of 40 million people.
Q. Has the Trophy ever been on a global journey?
A: Yes, Coca-Cola has partnered with FIFA on three previous global FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tours™ held in 2006, 2010 and 2014.
Q. What were the criteria for choosing the cities along the route?
A: The aim of the Trophy Tour is to get the world ready to taste the feeling of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Coca-Cola aims to visit all 211 members of FIFA between 2006 and 2030 (during five FIFA World Cup Trophy Tours by Coca-Cola). In 2018, the tour will be visiting 24 football federations that have never visited before. Additional countries were added due to their passion for football and the FIFA World Cup.
Q. How will the public be able to view the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy when it comes to their city?
A: Everyone will have access to a special pavilion where the Trophy will be presented. Free tickets to view the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy generally will be made available to consumers at the pavilion sites in the route cities and distributed through the Coca-Cola local partners. Also, there will be organized community visits of the Trophy to youth sports institutions, e.g. youth sports schools or football academies.
MARKETS TO INSERT SPECIFIC DETAILS
Q. What can spectators expect when they come to the event?
A: At the events where the Trophy will be presented, various activities for the visitors will be held, including performance of the mascot, interactive entertainment and an innovative and unforgettable Trophy Experience. We believe fans will long remember this unique experience with the Trophy.
Q: Will the events be equipped for people with disabilities?
A: Yes, it will be fully inclusive.
Q. Will people be allowed to actually touch and hold the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy?
A: As one of the most recognized sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy can only be touched and held by a very select group of people that include former winners of the FIFA World Cup™ and Heads of State. Due to these rules, fans will be able to see the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy up close and, in many cases, even have their photo taken with it, but they will not be able to touch the Trophy.
Q: What are the benefits of the Trophy visiting various cities?
A: The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola creates a unique opportunity for people to personally experience the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy and generates excitement and enthusiasm for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ matches that are coming to Russia in 2018.
Q. Why is Coca-Cola sponsoring a tour of the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy?
A: Coca-Cola shares the passion fans around the world have for football. The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola is a unique way for fans to see football’s most coveted prize up close, adding to the excitement and anticipation of football’s largest spectacle, the FIFA World Cup™.
TheFIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will give millions of people around the world the opportunity to get ready to taste the feeling of the world’s largest, most anticipated sporting event – the 2018 FIFA World Cup™. This is an extraordinary opportunity for people to take in a piece of football history and share their passion for thesport with each other.
Q. How much did Coca-Cola pay FIFA to take the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy on this tour?
A: For business reasons, we do not discuss our investments in sports sponsorships, which would include this Trophy Tour event.
Q. How will the Trophy travel from city to city?
A: The FIFA World Cup Original Trophy will be flown from country to country and, in some long distance cases, from city to city on a specially chartered Coca-Cola plane. For shorter distances from city to city, it will travel by the most efficient logistical type of transportation, including bus, train and motor vehicles.
Q. Are you concerned that the Trophy will be damaged or stolen during the tour?
A: No. Appropriate levels of safety and security are always in place to protect the most-coveted prize in football, as well as the fans that come to view it.
Q. What kind of security measures will you have to protect the Trophy? Will there be armed guards?
A: For security reasons, details of protective measures cannot be divulged, but you can be assured that the highest level of security will be in place to protect the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy, as it always is.
Q. Is this the actual Trophy given to the team winning the FIFA World Cup™? What about the Trophy replicas that are given to the winning nations or have been taken on smaller exhibition tours previously?
A: The authentic, one-and-only, solid-gold FIFA World Cup Original Trophy is what fans are being invited to see during the fourth global FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola. It is the same Trophy presented by FIFA to the country winning the FIFA World Cup™.
Because regulations state that the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy must remain in FIFA's possession and cannot be won outright, the team winning the FIFA World Cup™ retains the authentic Trophy temporarily and is then permanently awarded a gold-plated replica engraved with the year, host country and winner of the event.
The winning team is temporarily presented the authentic, solid-gold FIFA World Cup Original Trophy after its FIFA World Cup™ title. The solid-gold Trophy then is returned to FIFA.
TROPHY TOUR QUESTIONS: HOT TOPICS
Q: Why are you going to [XXX] when that country has such a poor record on [human rights, workplace conditions, free speech, freedom of the press, LGBT rights, oppression of religious or ethnic groups, etc., etc.]?
A: We believe events such as the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola can serve as a force for good that unite people through a common interest in football, and we have seen first-hand the positive impact such games leave for host communities.
As a business, it is our role and our responsibility to ensure that we embrace human rights practices in our own workplaces. It is also appropriate for us to help foster diversity, tolerance, unity and respect among all people.
If pressed:
We are a non-political organization and we are focused on the joy we believe the FWCTT can bring to people at every step along the route.
Q: Are US relations with Russia creating any problems for your planned activities for the FWCTT or FWC?
A: No. The FWCTT is intended to be as a non-political force for good that unites people through a common interest in football, and we have seen firsthand the positive impact such games leave for host communities.
Q: Are US sanctions against certain Russians causing problems for you? Are you concerned about increased sanctions or a deteriorating relationship?
A: No. The FWCTT is a non-political event intended to unite people through a common interest in football.
Q: Are you concerned with political or human rights protests along the FWCTT route?
A: The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola is a celebration of football and an opportunity for football fans to experience firsthand the excitement of the world’s most popular sport. We have encountered that spirit and that enthusiasm everywhere we have taken the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy, and we fully expect the same kind of reception from football fans across Russia.
Q: Why isn’t the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy visiting Crimea? Or Chechnya?
A:We would like to be able to bring the Trophy to as many people as possible, and that is why FIFA and Coca-Cola have planned an extensive tour of 24 Russian cities as well as cities in more than 50 other countries globally during this unprecedented 9-month journey. Unfortunately, we cannot stop in every city in every country but we know we will reach millions of football fans along the route we have planned.
Q: Why aren’t you taking the FWCTT to [XXX – non controversial location]?
A: We are visiting more than 24 Russian cities and more than 50 countries spanning six continents during this unprecedented 9-month journey. Unfortunately, we cannot stop in every city in every country but we know we will reach millions of football fans along the route we have planned.
Q: Why are you going to Israel before Palestine?
A: The schedule was determined largely by the most logical route to circumnavigate the world with stops in more than 50 countries, combined with the logistics for traveling from one country to another, availability of participants, and staffing needs. We are a non-political organization and we do not favor or have any preference for any particular country.
Q: Why are you in Palestine longer than you are in Israel?
A: Each of the local markets determined the length of stay for itself. Each market is unique and made its decisions based on its assessment of the interests and expectations of the local community.
Q: Are you concerned about Qatar’s current relationship with other Arab nations and the impact that may have on the FWCTT?
A: We believe events such as the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola can serve as a force for good that unite people through a common interest in football, and we have seen firsthand the positive impact such games leave for host communities.
If pressed:
We are a non-political organization and do not take positions on matters such as this.
Q: Are there any countries you would not consider taking the FWCTT?
A: Our local business operations decide whether they want to bring the FWCTT to their locations, and we operate in nearly every country and territory in the world. Of course, we will do so only in accordance with an U.S. laws or regulations.
Q: Why isn’t the FWCTT going to [Cuba, North Korea, Iran]?
A: Due to U.S. sanctions, we cannot take the FWCTT to [Cuba, North Korea, Iran].
Q: Why did Russia’s President Putin attend the launch ceremony for the FWCTT? Are you concerned about the political statement this made?
A: We know the people of Russia are very proud to be hosting the FWC next year and we were pleased to have both Russian President Vladimir Putin and FIFA President Gianni Infantino with us for the launch of the FWCTT in Russia.
If pressed on whether this is a political statement:
We believe events such as the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour can serve as a force for good that unites people through a common interest in football. The Coca-Cola Company is a non-political organization and we are focused on the joy we believe the FWCTT can bring to people at every step along the route.
Q: Why did the Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola not attend? Is that because as an American country you are making a statement about Russia?
A: We were pleased to have Nikos Koumettis represent The Coca-Cola Company at the launch of the FWCTT in Russia. He is a great ambassador for our company and knows our local business well.