MAM
Creative Coke pitch boards to continue till FIFA finals
The colorful and intriguing Coca-Cola pitch boards that have drawn notice from fans in each of the 20 FIFA World Cup stadia, will continue their existence at the venues till the 30 June championship match of the 2002 tournament.
Earlier, the pitch boards, with artwork created by consumers in nations competing in the FIFA World Cup were scheduled to be displayed only through the end of first-round matches.
Through the new Coca-Cola GO! Stadium Art Program, consumers for the first time ever helped create some of the sponsor billboards that traditionally border the pitch at each FIFA World Cup match. For the first time, stadium billboards at FIFA World Cup matches depicted more than a sponsor’s name and its logo or other trademarks. This is also the first time that consumers got involved in creating images for those boards.
Thousands of original, fan-conceived artworks were collected by Coca-Cola earlier this year from countries competing for the World Cup trophy. Only one creation was selected from each nation participating in the programme. Each country’s artwork is individually featured as part of the Coca-Cola billboard displays at FIFA World Cup stadia. The artworks correspond with the national teams playing in a particular match, so the two Coca-Cola boards are changed for each match.
In each special billboard design, the Coca-Cola trademark script sits alongside a horizontal outline of the company’s famous contour bottle, which served as the “canvas” for the publicly created images. Consumers and in some cases art students or professionals were asked to create works that conveyed a sense of national pride and enthusiasm for their country’s entry in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, says an official release.
Coca-Cola, one of FIFA’s longest-standing corporate partners signed an unprecedented, eight-year agreement as FIFA’s exclusive nonalcoholic beverages partner in 1998. The agreement includes sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup, the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA World Youth Championship.
Brands
Burda Media sells BurdaLuxury to Jaipur Capital in Southeast Asia push
Deal hands regional media portfolio to Singapore investor eyeing luxury growth
MUMBAI: Burda Media has agreed to sell its Southeast Asia-focused business, BurdaLuxury, to Jaipur Capital, marking a strategic shift for both companies as they double down on their respective growth priorities.
The deal will see Jaipur Capital acquire BurdaLuxury’s media operations across Thailand, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. The portfolio spans content marketing and media brands in travel, luxury and aviation, giving the investor a ready-made regional footprint and a sizeable audience base.
Jaipur Capital plans to build on this foundation to create a premium media network in Southeast Asia, blending high-end editorial with scalable digital platforms. As part of the transaction, all BurdaLuxury employees, including its management team, will move to the new owner, ensuring continuity as the business enters its next phase.
For Burda Media, the sale is part of a broader strategy to sharpen its focus on core European markets while scaling investments in digital-first opportunities. The company will, however, maintain its interest in the region through Burda Principal Investments, its global growth capital arm.
“This transaction reflects our commitment to sharpening our international focus while ensuring that BurdaLuxury continues to thrive in Southeast Asia,” said Burda Media CEO Jan Wachtel, adding that Jaipur Capital recognises the strength of the brands and teams involved.
Jaipur Capital, meanwhile, is betting big on the region’s appetite for premium content. “This acquisition significantly strengthens our premium content ecosystem,” said Jaipur Capital director Vikas Johari. He highlighted the business’s strong digital tilt, with 46 per cent of revenues coming from online channels, alongside a diversified presence across five markets.
The numbers tell a compelling story. BurdaLuxury clocks 48 million annual page views and reaches more than 40 million followers on social media, with no single market contributing over a quarter of total revenues. Jaipur Capital now aims to expand these brands further into Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, while also exploring opportunities in the Middle East, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
With this deal, Burda Media trims its global footprint to focus on depth over breadth, while Jaipur Capital steps onto a bigger stage in the premium content space. If execution matches ambition, this could be a defining chapter for luxury media in the region.
