World Cup global partner since 1976, Coca-Cola in its innovative ways of leveraging its association with the World Cup, fete its 22 lucky consumers with once in a life time opportunities featuring high octane events and activations amidst indescribable ancillary programmes, trips and leisure that make the Russia 2018 World Cup evergreen in the minds of young beneficiaries.
As one of the benefits of the global sponsorship of the mundial, the most prestigious event in global football, Coca brought the World Cup currently being contested for, to Nigeria for an impressive 4-day between the 7th – 10th March to sensitise Nigerians on the Russia 2018 and delight football lovers in the country.
“This is to create excitement as the World cup toured 51 countries and Nigeria being one of the countries of visits courtesy Coca-Cola”, said Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, Head, Public Affairs & Communications, Coca-Cola Nigeria.
To demonstrate the importance of football and Nigeria’s pedigree in the Coca-Cola scheme of things, while some countries had the cup for just one day, Nigeria had it for four days and a number of activations were built around the World Cup’s historic visit and football, for optimism and excitement urging fans and consumers to enjoy the global sport with a sip of Coca-Cola.
To drive this among the consumers as the primary target group, an “under the cock” national consumer promotion was organized to engage with the youth populations and reward consumers.
The promotion produced 22 lucky winners in all. According the Head, Public Affairs & Communications, this number is made up of 15 adult winners who emerged from the promo and 7 teenagers who were selected based on another concept, providing answers to questions around the World Cup as posted on Radio and social media platforms.
All 22 winners having been flown in from different parts of the country, were camped at the Eko Hotel & Suits for 2 days prior to activating their star prize of a trip to Russia! BrandCrunch caught up the team of excited travelers on their return at the Coca-Cola Russia in Lagos premier viewing centre at the Eko Atlantic City courtesy of Coca-Cola.
Geoffrey Ekoja, a civil servant and lecturer with the Kaduna state Polytechnic is one of the winners. He explains in simple terms, “I just saw the advert on billboard and TV. I bought the products and I sent the number under the cocks to the code provided. I was surprised when I received a call that I have won a trip to Russia for the World Cup”.
Ekoja who thanked Coca-Cola for being picked from almost 200 million Nigerians, revealed that this is his first time of going out of the country to see the World Cup Live at St. Petersburg Stadium and a number of other exciting tourist attractions in Russia. “This experience, I cannot forget”, he said.
Like Ekoja, Adeyemi Oladele and others were first time travelers (out of the country). Oladele, who resides in Lagos and a self employed driver, recounts that the trip was very nice and unforgettable experience travelling outside Nigeria. Apart from the World Cup, we were taken to a lot of memorable places, he revealed.
Reminiscing on how it happened, he said: Friday 27th April, I received a text message that I won a gift. I was called on Monday and asked to send the data page of my international passport within 48 hours, it was all like a dream. But it turned out all true and very delightful trips even as we had a stop-over in Dubai. Coca-Cola has made a very big impression on me, he noted. “Nice company, they have done very well and I will not hesitate to tell everyone who choose to listen about their wonderful deed”, Oladele said.
Rita Christopher lives in Benin and got the information on one of the FM radio stations and decided to give it a trial. She was skeptical when she got the text that says, “she was one of the winners” until the Coca-Cola team on the ground in Benin, paid her and her family a visit. “The landmark visit and subsequent events that followed made her to know that “life is beautiful”, she reinforced.
Rita is really is excited for the memorable and evergreen visit to Russia, the shopping experience, the visit to the museum among others. “I was treated like a celebrity; everything was at my beck and call, very grateful to the company for the wonderful experience”, Rita concluded.
Similarly, Bakare Olanshile, said that the Coca-Cola gift was a perfect gift for him, he had not imagined it! “Nothing compares to the gift of this beautiful trip – a week in Russia for World Cup, visits to famous Winter Palace, St. Petersburg stadium to watch Sweden Vs Croatia live and the Peter and Paul fortress. They must have read my mind, they did not spare the expenses to give us once in a lifetime excitement, he said, declaring “I love this company”.
Another beneficiary of The Coca-Cola largesse is Okwusi G. Onyemechi, a graphic designer from Delta. For him, he is energized that Coca-Cola has changed his perspectives, the organisation of the trip and the inherent quality exposures helped him to discover a lot of things. “We had a boat cruise and especially the Peter’s image at strategic public places with citizen throwing coins at it, makes huge impression on me about patriotism”. I also discovered that Russians are every accommodating as they came to us for photographs, he noted.
According to Okwusi, the food and all tell there are a lot more things to explore in the world than just being contented with your corner.
While all the 22 beneficiaries of the trip join others football loving Nigerians to watch some of the other matches of the World Cup at the “Coca-Cola Russia in Lagos” activation at the Eko Atlantic city, Coca-Cola also has over 60 other activation points across the country aimed at bringing all 64 World Cup matches live to Nigerians.
According to Coca-Cola’s Mrs. Onyemelukwe, the Russia in Lagos experience centres is in line with the reality of the fact that nothing brings Nigerians together like football. “We are solid believer in the Nigerian passion for football”
Another if not the most exciting part of the Coca-Cola 2018 World Cup campaign was the opportunity provided by the brand for one Nigerian teenagers to toss the coins at the commencement of the Nigeria Vs Croatia opening group match. It’s a very wonderful, exciting and symbolic experience, as a Nigerian, she says.
Being an official sponsor of the national teams –male and female, Coca-Cola participates in the development of football at all levels in the country. Its national coaching clinic has also produced star players such as Nididi Winifred among others for the nation and international football leagues and teams.
The Coca-Cola lucky winners of the Russia 2018 trip and consumers of the brand and Nigerians who watched the live matches of the World Cup from the 64 Coca-Cola “Russia in Lagos” viewing centres, Russia 2018 will be deep-seated in their hearts where the CSD market leader continues to hold sway.
