Capturing Coca-Cola’s Road to Beijing

Coca-Cola engaged Anthem to create a powerful package design system and global standards to celebrate the Beijing Olympic Games.

Coca-Cola began its Olympic sponsorship in 1928 and continues today with 2008’s unprecedented 150-country Olympic marketing blitz, Coke’s largest Olympic effort ever. Coke turned to Anthem to translate its Olympics communications strategy to packaging that could be implemented around the world.

Balancing a wide range of visual elements including Coke’s visual identity standards and current campaign principles, the International Olympic Committee’s standards, as well as the Beijing Olympics’ identity, Anthem found its own challenges of Olympic proportions.

Anthem’s global network collaborated to develop captivating expressions that embody Coke’s partnership with the Olympic movement. The resulting packaging designs incorporated eastern and western brand elements to position Coca-Cola as an active participant in the Beijing games...not a passive sponsor.

The guidelines strategically offered freedom for localization within a framework of global consistency, and were adopted by key regions around the globe. With millions of consumers interacting with the Olympic packaging, Anthem helped Coke realize its bold, empowering and positive vision for the Beijing games.