Coca-Cola announces its first Environmental Torchbearer team as a call to action to support Earth Hour

     -  Mississauga Braves Hockey Association first Environmental Olympic
                   Torchbearer team nominated by Coca-Cola

     -  72% of Ontarians (77% B.C./63% Alberta/63% Quebec/84% Atlantic)
                    plan to be in the dark for Earth Hour

    TORONTO, March 26 /CNW/ - Coca-Cola encourages Canadians to live more
environmentally sustainable lives with its sponsorship of WWF-Canada's Earth
Hour and its first Environmental Olympic Torchbearer team announcement.
Representatives of the Mississauga Braves Hockey Association have been
nominated by Coca-Cola, as one of the teams recommended by WWF-Canada, as the
first team of environmental Olympic Torchbearers.
    "Through our support of Earth Hour and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch
Relay we hope to inspire people of all ages to take steps to reduce their
environmental impact," says Dave Moran, Director, Public Affairs and
Communications, Coca-Cola Canada. "We hope the Mississauga Braves serve as an
example, to all Canadians of how simple it is to carry the Olympic Flame and
live more environmentally sustainable lives."
    The Mississauga Braves are being rewarded for their efforts in reducing
their environmental footprint through the promotion of environmentally
friendly practices with its members (executives, coaches and players)
including: car pooling, washing uniforms in cold water and hanging to dry, and
donating outgrown equipment. The Toronto-area Association of ten hockey teams
is using these everyday actions to save 105,366 kgs of greenhouse gases from
being produced each year.
    "We are committed to environmental responsibility," said Barry Carroll,
President, Mississauga Braves Hockey Association. "We are thrilled that our
actions have been rewarded and that we have the chance to carry the Olympic
Flame. We hope our efforts help inspire other Canadians to do their part when
it comes to energy conservation."
    "The Mississauga Braves are a great example of how ordinary community
groups living their everyday lives can make simple, small changes to slow
climate change," says Gerry Butts, President and CEO, WWF-Canada. "We are
delighted to work with Coca-Cola to raise awareness of the need for all
Canadians to protect our environment."
    Coca-Cola, as a sponsor of Earth Hour and the Olympic Games, asked
Canadians this year about their thoughts on the two events. Here's what the
Ipsos Reid survey, conducted in March 2009, found...

    -   70 per cent of Canadians are planning to turn off their lights for
        Earth Hour this year

    -   Thirty-three per cent of those who are not participating say that it
        is because they have not heard of Earth Hour and 17 per cent said
        it's inconvenient

    -   When asked to choose from a list of five past Canadian Olympian(s),
        which past Olympian(s) they would like to spend Earth Hour with, 34
        per cent of Canadians stated they would like to spend Earth Hour with
        Jamie Sale and David Pelletier - the gold medal winners in pairs
        figure skating who were at the centre of vote trading scandal when
        they were originally awarded silver in Salt Lake in 2002

    -   Nineteen per cent of Canadians would like to spend the hour with
        skier Nancy "Tiger" Greene who won gold and silver medals at the 1968
        Olympic Winter Games

    -   Quebecers like to hang out with their local Olympians! 32 per cent of
        Quebecers (vs. 19 per cent of Canadians) would like to spend it with
        speed skating gold medallist Marc Gagnon who, to this day, holds the
        record in the 500 m speed skate

    -   From a list of five Olympic sports, the most popular to try out in
        the dark is skeleton (face-first luge - racing a sled down an icy
        track face-first) -- 29 per cent chose it as the best Olympic sport
        to do without any light followed by ice dancing (23%), bobsled (21%),
        luge (18%) and pairs figure skating (8%), but 33 per cent recommend
        against ski jumping in the dark (the number one choice of five
        options, ice hockey (28%), pairs figure skating (15%), freestyle
        skiing (15%) and speed skating (9%)

    -   78 per cent of Canadians believe that it's important to ensure that
        Olympic sporting equipment is made in a sustainable manner or from
        sustainable/recycled material

    -   If given the choice, Canadians think the polar bear (59 per cent)
        would be the best Canadian animal to become the mascot for the
        Canadian Olympic Team, but they're not too keen on the wolverine (8
        per cent)

    This sponsorship further supports the Coca-Cola Olympic Games
Sustainability Program which includes a zero waste and zero carbon strategy.
The program was created in consultation with WWF-Canada and the David Suzuki
Foundation. To view the webcast of this announcement, please visit:
http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=139542&s=1&k=1810DD046DBC72C354E25AC90D4E6E57 .
    Through the sponsorship of Earth Hour and the environmental focus of its
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay program Coca-Cola hopes to motivate
Canadians from coast to coast to use the Olympic Spirit as inspiration for
environmental action.

    How Every Canadian Can Get Involved

    Individual Torchbearers

    To inspire everyday Canadians to take steps to support environmental
sustainability in communities across Canada, Coca-Cola has developed a unique
torchbearer program for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. Canadians who
have worked to reduce their environmental footprint, or have supported the
work of environmental organizations to affect positive change in their
communities, are invited to visit www.icoke.ca and nominate themselves to be
Olympic Torchbearers. Following their nomination, Coca-Cola will invite
selected nominees to submit a written story about how they Live Positively.
WWF-Canada will make recommendations to Coca-Cola on environmental candidates
for nomination to become an Olympic Torchbearer.

    Team Torchbearers

    In addition to individual environmental torchbearers, Coca-Cola will also
award 20 teams of up to 20 individuals each who have demonstrated
environmental leadership the opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame and
profile how they are making a difference in Canadian communities. More
information on our team torchbearer spots will be announced soon.

    Coca-Cola and the Olympic Movement

    The Coca-Cola Company has been associated with the Olympic Games since
1928 and is the longest continuous corporate supporter of the Olympic
Movement. Through the Olympic Games, Coca-Cola encourages people to create
their own path of "positivity" in everyday life by believing that anything is
possible. The Company's sponsorship supports National Olympic Committees in
more than 200 countries to help athletes train and compete. The Coca-Cola
Company is the exclusive nonalcoholic beverage provider to the Olympic Games
through 2020.

    Coca-Cola in Canada

    The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company. In Canada,
the Company is represented by its subsidiary, Coca-Cola Ltd. (Coca-Cola in
Canada). Coca-Cola is Canada's largest beverage company. Coca-Cola in Canada
markets three of Canada's top nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands,
Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Sprite, and the leading ready-to-drink tea: Nestea.
In addition, our subsidiary is the largest juice and juice drinks company with
Minute Maid, Five Alive and Fruitopia. The Company also markets DASANI,
PowerAde and other hot and cold beverages.
    For more information about Coca-Cola in Canada, please visit our website
at www.cocacola.ca or our parent company's website at 
www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

    About the Survey

    These are the findings of a poll conducted on behalf of Coca-Cola from
March 16th to 19th, 2009. This online survey of 1,033 Canadian adults was
conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online
panel. The results of these polls are based on a sample where quota sampling
and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the
sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according
to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel
provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample.
Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls, however, an
unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would
have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out
of 20, had the entire adult population of Canada been polled.

    About Ipsos Reid

    Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader and the country's
leading provider of public opinion research. With operations in eight cities,
Ipsos Reid employs more than 300 research professionals and support staff in
Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in
Canada, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and on-line panels.
Ipsos Reid's Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are
staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific
backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in
Canada-including the Ipsos Trend Report, the leading source of public opinion
in the country-all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant
information. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based
market research group. To learn more, visit www.ipsos.ca

For further information: Media inquiries: Lena Beyer, Hill & Knowlton
Canada, (416) 413-4759, lena.beyer@hillandknowlton.ca