Coca Cola Poised For Tendulkar’s 100th Century to Launch Major Marketing Campaign

Beverage giant Coca Cola has planned a major marketing campaign poised on Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar’s expected 100th century in international cricket.

Coca Cola are launching a series of 10 cans, with 10 different designs, each chronicling one of Sachin’s best centuries, nine of which were handpicked by the batsman himself.

Coca-Cola will release some 6.5 million special Coke cans with pictures of the batting maestro, with each can having the image from that innings of Tendulkar along with the statistics of the century.

The company plans to release 800,000 units of the 10th can, which will be released once Tendulkar scores the much awaited 100th international century.

It is hoped that Tendulkar will achieve that landmark during the first England vs India Test beginning at Lord’s, England on July 21.

A core team of designers and creative guys from Coke’s creative agency are working on the design and look for the 10th can.

This is the first marketing campaign for which Coca-Cola is using its “Happiness” ambassador Sachin, since the two signed a contract, estimated in the range of US$2.7-3.3 million, earlier this year.

This is also the first time that Tendulkar has listed some of his most important innings that he has ever played. Some of the innings are 200 in an ODI against South Africa, 114 versus Australia in Perth in 1992, 143 versus Australia in Sharjah in 1998 to win the Sharjah Cup.

Anupama Ahluwalia, VP, Marketing, Coca-Cola India, said: “As and when Sachin reaches that historic milestone of 100 hundreds, it will be an ultimate high-point in the history of sports. As a tribute to this legend, who is also Coca-Cola’s ‘Happiness’ ambassador, it is only appropriate that we release nine special edition cans, each depicting an important achievement of his career, and start celebrating in anticipation of his 100th hundred.

“This will be the first time in the history of our operations in India that we will put a celebrity or our brand ambassador on our cans and we are making this exception for one of India’s great sons. The occasion is specially significant for the Coca-Cola family since Sachin is a part of us and this is yet another occasion when Sachin and Coca-Cola are teaming up to spread joy and happiness.”