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
After Virat Kohli’s exit, One8 Commune Bengaluru shuts down
Outlet near Chinnaswamy closes amid rent row, compliance issues mount
BENGALURU: The One8 Commune outlet near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has shut down following a court order, bringing a turbulent chapter for the high-profile dining destination to a close.
The immediate trigger was a legal dispute over unpaid dues. The outlet, operated by Trio Hills Hospitality, had reportedly defaulted on rent payments for nearly six months. Including maintenance charges and revenue share commitments, the outstanding amount is said to have crossed Rs 2 crore. A Bengaluru civil court subsequently directed the closure of the premises until all financial obligations are cleared.
The shutdown comes months after Virat Kohli, whose brand name lent the outlet its identity, had already distanced himself from the Bengaluru franchise. According to reports, concerns around repeated compliance-related issues prompted his team to withdraw the association. The removal of the One8 branding is believed to have impacted footfall, further straining the business.
The outlet had also faced regulatory scrutiny over the years. In 2024, authorities booked the establishment for operating beyond the 1:00 am curfew. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike had issued notices over missing fire safety clearances, while an FIR was filed for violating tobacco regulations by not providing a designated smoking zone under applicable laws.
In response to the closure, the brand maintained that the issue stemmed from building-level compliance responsibilities linked to the property owner rather than operational lapses on its part. It also denied that financial default was the primary reason, reiterating that customer safety remained a priority.
For now, the shutters remain down. While a reopening is theoretically possible if disputes are resolved, the absence of Kohli’s brand association makes a return under the One8 banner increasingly unlikely.
