Meet the Coca‑Cola Six Pack of Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Athletes
The Faces of the Coca‑Cola Brand
09-10-2019
A diverse group of U.S. athletes will collectively serve as the face of the Coca‑Cola brand leading up to and during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
The “6-Pack” of athletes includes four Olympic champions (Caeleb Dressel, Swimming; Laurie Hernandez, Gymnastics; Alex Morgan, Soccer; and Simone Manuel, Swimming), one Olympic hopeful (Noah Lyles, Track and Field) and one Paralympic champion (Roderick Townsend, Track and Field). The athletes will feature prominently in Coca‑Cola’s Games-time marketing efforts, including retail activation, digital/social media, advertising and more.
“Coca‑Cola selected this diverse team of athletes who get along famously because they align with the Coca‑Cola brand. They are genuine, optimistic and positive role models with unique and inspiring stories,” said Dina Gerson, director, Olympic marketing, Coca‑Cola North America. “Our 6-Pack of athletes are relatable and demonstrate dedication and commitment to excellence on and off the field of play. They had the best time together at our photo shoot and discovered that they can’t wait to connect again soon over a Coke.”
Alex Morgan: Soccer
A prominent member of the U.S. Women’s National team and reigning World Champion (in 2015 and 2019), Morgan also was part of the gold medal-winning Olympic Games London 2012 team. The co-captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team was named ESPY’s Best Female Athlete of 2019. This is Morgan’s third time partnering with Coke; she was also a London 2012 and Rio 2016 Coca‑Cola 6-Pack athlete.
Caeleb Dressel: Swimming
The first man to win a record 8 medals (6 gold) at the 2019 World Championships, Dressel also broke Michael Phelps’ world record in the 100m Butterfly. Dressel was named Swimmer of the Meet at the 2019 World Championships. The sprint specialist won two gold medals at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Sports Illustrated included Dressel on its list of the “Fittest 50 Athletes” for 2018.
Laurie Hernandez: Gymnastics
A gold and silver medalist at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, Hernandez also medaled at the 2016 Pacific Rim Championships and 2016 P&G Championships. The proud Latina is a New York Times best-selling author of I Got This: To Gold and Beyond and the children’s book, She’s Got This, and was a Season 23 winner on “Dancing with the Stars.”
“Coca‑Cola selected this diverse team of athletes who get along famously because they align with the Coca‑Cola brand. They are genuine, optimistic and positive role models with unique and inspiring stories.”
Noah Lyles: Track & Field
Last month, Lyles won the Lausanne Diamond League meet in 200m in 19.50, the fastest time since Usain Bolt’s gold medal winning run in the Olympic Games London 2012, making Lyles the fourth fastest man in history. The sprinter also won the 100-meter gold medal at the 2018 U.S. Championships, becoming the youngest American male to win in 34 years. Lyles was undefeated in the 2018 season in the 200 meters and joined Bolt as the only man in history to run four sub-19.7 times in the 200-meters in one year. He is also a fashion designer and musical recording artist.
Roderick Townsend: Paralympic Track & Field
Townsend won high jump and long jump gold medals at the Paralympic Games Rio 2016, and a high jump gold medal at the 2017 Para World Championships. He holds the 2017 world record for high jump and 2016 Paralympic record holder in the long jump. Townsend – whose shoulder and collar bone were broken at birth, losing full function of his right arm – was a 2017 ESPY nominee for Best Male Athlete with a Disability.
Simone Manuel: Swimming
Manuel is the first American woman to sweep the 50m and 100m free at a World Championships (2019). The sprint freestyle specialist won two gold medals and two silver medals at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. She became the first African-American female swimmer to win an individual gold medal. The USA Swimming Ambassador also partners with the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make A Splash program to help underserved children learn to swim.
This is the seventh time that Coca‑Cola has featured athletes as a part of its Olympic marketing campaign. Specific plans for how the “6-Pack” will be integrated into the larger Coca‑Cola Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 program, which will be revealed next year.
The Coca‑Cola Company, the longest continuous sponsor of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), recently extended its partnership another 12 years through 2032, a historic 104-year partnership. The contract signifies a new era as tradition meets innovation with the IOC’s first ever Joint TOP (The Olympic Partners) Sponsorship.
The company's Olympic journey began on a freight ship in 1928. The transport arrived in Amsterdam carrying the U.S. Olympic Team and 1,000 cases of Coca‑Cola. Unbeknownst to many at the time, the long voyage would be a catalyst to a winning partnership between two beloved entities: Coca‑Cola and the International Olympic Committee. Since then, the company has sponsored every Olympic Games, helping bring the Olympic spirit to fans in host cities and around the world.
