Coke brings anti-obesity push to UK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M_3nehGgp0

The soft drinks company will air a two minute ad tonight (6 March) on ITV and Channel 4, entitled “Coming Together”, which aims to remind viewers to watch their calories when managing their weight – including those in Coca-Cola’s products.

This will be followed by a second spot, dubbed “Be OK”, which will air later in the evening. It will offer more granular information about the number of calories in a can of Coca-Cola and how much physical activity consumers would need to do to burn those calories. It will also highlight the company’s no calorie alternative Coke Zero.

The two spots will be supported by print ads, with further TV ads on this topic penned for later in the year.

The activity forms part of Coca-Cola’s wider global advertising campaign it launched earlier this year in the US, which aimed to explain the importance of the “energy balance” to managing weight.

Coca-Cola was one of the early signatories to the Department of Health’s Responsibility Deal Calorie Reduction Pledge and is now announcing it is to take further action to implement the commitments it made almost a year ago.

One of these further commitments includes the launch of a reduced calorie Sprite in the UK from March 2013 that will replace the current Sprite recipe.
The company is also set to launch new Coke Zero advertising in April to build awareness around the product.

In addition, Coca-Cola has renewed its partnership with UK charity StreetGames until 2015 as the drinks brand looks to boost grassroots sports participation as one of its legacy commitments following the its sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

James Quincey, Coca-Cola Company Europe Group president, says: “Obesity is a serious problem and I am determined we will take more actions in Europe to help address it. The actions announced today build on our earlier efforts and are part of a long-term commitment.”