Sports
Coca-Cola launches campaign to celebrate soccer
MUMBAI: Beverage conglomerate Coca-Cola has unveiled elements of a global integrated marketing campaign inspired by the joyous dance celebrations familiar to Africa, the host continent for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The campaign, developed to support its sponsorship of the sporting event, is an extension of the current Coca-Cola brand platform ‘Open Happiness‘. The campaign, showcased during a global press conference attended by Coca-Cola chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent and Fifa president Joseph S. Blatter at the headquarters of Federation Internationale de Football Association (Fifa), invites fans to express their optimism and passion for football through active dance celebrations.
Among the key elements from the Coca-Cola campaign are the first-ever recognition of the best player celebration carried out during the tournament, a music anthem, global television commercials, an online program, commemorative packaging and the 86-country Fifa World CupTrophy Tour by Coca-Cola.
Kent says, “The worldwide passion for the sport of football is unrivalled and gives our business the best platform to connect with fans everywhere Coca-Cola does business. Our programs to support the 2010 Fifa World Cup, like the Trophy Tour, will help ensure that fans have the chance to experience the excitement and pageantry of football no matter where they live.”
The campaign begins with the Fifa World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola, which will take the Trophy to 86 countries, including every nation in Africa. The ceremonial start of the tour was held today as President Blatter and Mr. Kent sent the Trophy on its round- the-world journey. The Fifa World Cup Trophy will be flown later in the week from Zurich to its first stop in Cairo, Egypt.
In the months leading up to the Fifa World Cup an array of programmes will be activated that will bring fans closer to the Fifa World Cup experience. Among the highlights will be a global TV commercial featuring Roger Milla – the footballer from Cameroon famed for his celebratory dance during the Fifa World Cup in Italy in 1990. Millions around the world remember Milla’s goal celebration as the first to include a joyful dance. Milla was on hand in Zurich to present the new spot.
Sports
Ashish Limaye bags gold and bronze at Montelibretti 2026 event
Indian rider shines in Italy, gains ground ahead of higher-level tests
MUMBAI: Ashish Limaye delivered a strong performance on the international stage, clinching both gold and bronze at the FEI Eventing Competition Montelibretti 2026 held in Italy earlier this month.
Competing against riders from across the globe, Limaye secured the top podium finish in the CCI 2 Long Format riding Easy Turn, registering a score of 30.2 in a field that featured participants from five nations. He followed it up with a bronze medal in the CCI 2 Short Format aboard Willy Be Dun, scoring 32 in a much larger and highly competitive pool of 66 riders representing nine countries.
Reflecting on the outing, Fédération Equestre Internationale event rider Ashish Limaye said, “Riding at Montelibretti was amazing. To compete with such talented riders from around the world was fantastic. I’m really happy with the results and the effort our team has put in.”
Beyond the podium finishes, Limaye also achieved a milestone result on D’Avril du Pinier, earning a Minimum Eligibility Requirement, bringing him closer to qualifying for the FEI World Equestrian Games.
While the Montelibretti competition was not a direct qualifier for major multi-sport events, it serves as a crucial stepping stone as Limaye prepares to move up to the more demanding CCI 3 level.
With momentum firmly on his side, the Indian rider now looks set to build on this success as he targets bigger stages in the global equestrian circuit.
