New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Beverage giant Coca-Cola will commemorate Sachin Tendulkar's 100th international century - when the milestone is reached - by launching some 6.5 million special Coke cans with pictures of the batting maestro.
This is the first marketing campaign for which Coca-Cola is using its 'Happiness' ambassador Sachin, since the two signed a contract, estimated in the range of Rs.120-150, earlier this year.
Coca-Cola will release a series of 10 cans, with 10 different designs, each chronicling one of Sachin's best centuries. Nine of these centuries have been handpicked by Tendulkar. Each can will have the image from that innings of Tendulkar along with the statistics of the century.
This is also the first time that Tendulkar has listed some of his most important innings that he has every played. Some of the innings are 200 in an ODI against South Africa, 114 versus Australia in Perth in 1992, 143 versus Australia in Sharjah in 1998 to win the Sharjah Cup.
The company also plans to release 800,000 units of the 10th can, which will be released once Tendulkar scores the much awaited 100th international century, possibly during the first India-England Test beginning at Lord's Thursday.
A core team of designers and creative guys from Coke's creative agency are working on the design and look for the 10th can.
'As and when Sachin reaches that historic milestone of 100 hundreds, it will be an ultimate high-point in the history of sports. As a tribute to this legend, who is also Coca-Cola's 'Happiness' ambassador, it is only appropriate that we release nine special edition cans, each depicting an important achievement of his career, and start celebrating in anticipation of his 100th hundred,' said Anupama Ahluwalia, VP, Marketing, Coca-Cola India.
'This will be the first time in the history of our operations in India that we will put a celebrity or our brand ambassador on our cans and we are making this exception for one of India's great sons. The occasion is specially significant for the Coca-Cola family since Sachin is a part of us and this is yet another occasion when Sachin and Coca-Cola are teaming up to spread joy and happiness,' she added.
