Coca Cola Events Sponsorship

Overview

In 2011 Coca Cola HBC NI were ranked 62 in the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies. They have a turnover of £207.7m and made an operating profit of £m in 2008.

In 1938 local businessman Mr Tom Robinson from Ulster Ice and Cold Stores wrote a letter to the Coca-Cola Company in London expressing an interest in setting up the franchise in Northern Ireland. Coca-Cola's strategy was to supply free ice to any retailer agreeing to sell Coca-Cola however, owners of the ice-making plant in NI were not interested in investing in bottling Coca-Cola. Mr Robinson accepted the franchise for the Belfast district and formed the Ulster Iced Drinks Company.

Cocal Cola HBC NI is now wholly owned by Coca-Cola. There is no better opportunity beyond local events sponsorship because the Coca Cola Company policy extends only to UK-wide national charities and local charities within Hammersmith and Uxbridge areas of England. They fund through the Coca-Cola Youth Foundation in Great Britain.

Coca Cola HBC NI support communities according to the following criteria:

• Supporting initiatives that are relevant and of value to local communities
• Improving the quality of life and opportunities for young people
• Emphasising the development and education of young people
• Ensuring the environmental performance of their business
• Encourage active living

Most support will be of an in-kind sponsorship nature. This may be donation of soft-drinks in the coca-cola range and other Coca Cola promotion items. The company can help with PR for events on an in-kind basis.

The company also operates employee matching schemes, so this is certainly another case where you will need to enlist the involvement of a company employee. The company establishes partnerships with high profile local charities on fundraising initiatives akin to Charity of the Year arrangements, often for longer than one year in duration.

Coca Cola Products

Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Diet Coke, Diet Coke With Lime, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Fanta, Lilt,Vanilla Coke, Dr Pepper, Deep RiverRock, Fruice, Powerade, BPM, Vittel, Oasis, Schweppes, Nestea, Five Alive

Example Grants

• Coca Cola Staff have been known to undertake fundraising initiatives such as for Musgrave and Lagan Valley Children's Hospices in the 90's which received £3,000 each.
• Irish Football Association - Football for You
• Belfast Giants
• Coca Cola Cinemagic Film Festival
• Tidy NI - Clean Coast Award
• Mencap £73,000
• Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children £115,000
• Marie Curie Cancer Care

In 2008, the American Friends of the University of Ulster received $326,100 via a grant which funded a healthy active living awareness program for 3,000 students in 100 of the most disadvantaged schools in Northern Ireland.

How to Apply

Coca Cola simply ask all potential applicants to apply in writing a minimum of two weeks prior to their event/campaign. Every request will receive a written response within two weeks of receipt of the letter.