Coca‑Cola And TFL Help Keep Commuters Moving This Summer

This summer, an exclusive partnership between the 'Coca‑Cola' Piccadilly Sign and Transport for London (TfL) will help commuters plan their travel around the capital.  Running from 20^th July for twelve months, this bespoke service will provide a 'Tube ticker' - up-to-the-minute London Underground updates - for the 1.1 million people who pass through the capital's bustling Piccadilly Circus every week, and reflects the brand's point of view of spreading optimism and positivity. 

The 'tube ticker' will be over-laid onto an eye-catching sequence featuring a newly developed introduction and the iconic 'Bus' and 'Tube' animations. The concept and the sequence introduction were designed by Sedley Place, which undertakes all the creative for the 'Coca‑Cola' Piccadilly Sign. 

In a first for the Piccadilly Sign, the updates will cover all London Underground lines and air on-screen once every five minutes during peak working hours¹, helping commuters to make quick travel decisions and enjoy travelling around the capital. 

Cathryn Sleight, Marketing Director for CCGB, explains: "As the longest continuous advertiser at Piccadilly Circus, CCGB is constantly looking for ways to impress and connect with today's busy consumers.  It's a real honour to be working with TfL. The 'Bus' and 'Tube' films have proven to be highly popular with consumers and so it makes perfect sense to weave an interactive and informative element into them."  

Nigel Marson, Transport for London Director of Group Marketing, comments: "This innovative partnership with Coca‑Cola Great Britain allows us to extend a much appreciated information service to passengers travelling through one of London's busiest thoroughfares and best known visitor destinations. Tube service updates on the digital billboard at Piccadilly Circus is another fantastic way to help our passengers plan their journey whilst on the move." 

This partnership is a continuation of the 'Coca‑Cola' Open Happiness campaign which launched this summer.  Activity over the past two months has included a TVC, featuring an exclusive track by Calvin Harris, high-impact outdoor advertising, an on-pack promotion and sponsorship of the Summer Series at Somerset House. 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors:

For additional information, please contact:

Melanie Bryant, mbryant@lexispr.com, 020 7908 6542

Jessica Silver, jsilver@lexispr.com, 020 7908 6545 

'Coca‑Cola' remains one of the most successful and innovative brands in the world today.  On-going brand and product innovation continues to reinforce this position of leadership in the soft drinks category. In the latest 52 week period 'Coca‑Cola' trade mark has had a fantastic year with retail value sales growing by 3.7% to £523.7 million.  The My Coke portfolio (which includes 'Coca‑Cola', 'diet Coke' and 'Coca‑Cola Zero') experienced retail sales of £982.5 million in the same period with growth of 2% in value and 2.9% in volume versus the previous year.  'Diet Coke' sales stand at £400 million with growth of almost 1% versus last year.  Meanwhile, 'Coca‑Cola Zero', which has been hailed as the biggest NPD launch in over 20 years, is now worth £57.9m. (Nielsen Total Coverage 52 w.e 06.06.09).

Performance in the 'year to date' 2009 is even stronger with 'My Coke' growing at 3.1% in value,    'Coca‑Cola' +4.6%, 'diet Coke' +1.6% and 'Coca‑Cola Zero' showing a very strong 7.6% value growth versus last year (Nielsen Total Coverage YTD 06.06.09). 

About Transport for London

• Transport for London (TfL) is the integrated body responsible for the Capital's transport system, managing London's buses, London Underground (LU), Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Overground and London Trams. It also runs London River Services (LRS), Victoria Coach Station (VCS) and London's Transport Museum. As well as running London's Congestion Charging scheme, TfL manages a 580km network of main roads, all of London's 6,000 traffic lights and regulates taxis and the private hire trade.
• TfL's range of Travel Tools help passengers plan journeys, get travel information on the move and work out the quickest and safest way home
• For free mobile and email alerts to keep up to date on all Transport for London services passengers can sign up at http://alerts.tfl.gov.uk/
• Apart from the TfL website www.tfl.gov.uk , passengers can check before travelling via the following options:
• The London Travel Info 24hrs telephone helpline: 020 7222 1234
• BBC Ceefax, page 436, or ITV's Teletext, page 164

 

[1] 8am - 6pm, Monday to Friday