Coke, Hero Honda warm up for Games

Concerns about whether the infrastructure set up for the Commonwealth Games is adequate and the event has been adequately marketed as a national spectacle still remain and this has resulted in lacklustre sponsorship. However, a few sponsors see the Games as a huge opportunity to market their brands, thanks to the expected influx of people from around the world and the scale of operation of the Games. While Coca-Cola India is the official beverage partner, the organising committee has also roped in other private players like Hero Honda, Adidas and Reebok.

The Games, to be held over two weeks, brings together 54 nations, mostly former British colonies, every four years.

Coca-Cola India, as the official beverage partner, will have its products like carbonated soft drinks and juices sold to spectators and served to all the athletes, team officials and volunteers during the Games. For Coca-Cola, sporting events like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games are the best way to connect with consumers. “We have always been associated with sporting events around the world because we feel that it fits well into the brand strategy to drive engagement with our consumers. We are soon going to roll out a 360-degree campaign to market the brand in association with the Games,” said a Coca-Cola India spokesperson.

The organising committee has two lead partners, 10 partners and 12 sponsors. It has categorised those sponsors who would get a sponsorship worth Rs 100 crore each as lead partners, those who would get Rs 50 crore worth of sponsorships each as partners, and those who would get Rs 25 crore as sponsors, the organising committee had said in March, 2010. The lead partner for the games is Indian Railways while National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Central Bank of India, Hero Honda, Reebok and Adidas, among others, will serve as partners and sponsors. On being asked whether the organising committee is scouting for another lead sponsor, a Games spokesperson said that it is not.

The sponsorship target for the Games is reportedly almost three times that of Melbourne 2006, which was the most successful Games in terms of revenue generation so far.

Interestingly, Hero Honda has been associated with all major sporting events that have taken place in the past few months like the Indian Premier League and the Hockey World Cup. A spokesperson from Hero Honda, in an email statement, said, “These events are aimed.