Sprite to bat with IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders team

Gearing up for the second season of the Twenty-20 cricket extravaganza, the Indian Premier League (IPL), Coca-Cola India and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced their partnership, where Coca-Cola India will join forces with Kolkata Knight Riders as an associate sponsor and ‘official pouring partner’ of KKR. The company will get branding rights for Sprite on players’ apparel (leading arm) as well as on the helmet.

As part of the association, Sprite will be designated the official beverage of the team. Additionally, Sprite would have in-stadia presence and activation rights for all seven home-matches at Eden Gardens. To further add to the excitement, select Sprite consumers will get an opportunity to interact with the Kolkata Knight Riders team members through a number of innovative activations which will be launched in the near future.

According to Venkatesh Kini, VP-Marketing, Coca-Cola India, “Twenty20 cricket is clearly a growing passion with today’s youth. The success of IPL 2008 has taken the game to a new high. It provides Coca-Cola India with a very exciting platform to connect with all its consumers. We are happy to bat with Kolkata Knight Riders as an associate sponsor and pouring partner. Our entire association with KKR has been conceptualised in an exciting and engaging manner, in keeping with both KKR and brand Sprite’s positioning – ‘Seedhi Baat, No Bakwaas… Clear Hai!’.”

An extensive 360-degree communication programme will be rolled out to excite and engage Sprite consumers and KKR fans. The initiative will leverage mass-media and digital platforms as well as in-stadia and in-market activation.

Jay Mehta, Co-Owner, Kolkata Knight Riders, said, “From the time of its inception last year, Kolkata Knight Riders has far exceeded the expectation of competitors and compatriots in terms of our fan following and the success of our brand and business. With Sprite now on board as associate sponsor and official pouring partner, I am confident we will together provide more enhanced experiences to our fans and consumers, making the second season of IPL 2009 all the more action-packed and exciting.”