It was 80 years ago today

Did you know on this date in 1928, the IXth Olympic Games opened in Amsterdam, and Coca-Cola was there? This marked the debut of our Olympic involvement, which remains strong today.

Eighty years ago, a freighter arrived in Amsterdam – on board were the U.S. Olympic Team and 1,000 cases of Coca-Cola.

At the Games, vendors sold Coke in bottles from kiosks located around the Olympic Stadium and the Rowing Course, but very few promotional materials connected Coca-Cola to the Games. The exception: customized signs that were created by an American art student and hung over each of the entrances to the stadium.

(This photo is of one of those kiosks.)

You can read more about our history with the Olympics on our corporate site. And I hope you’ll check out my blog regularly, as I’ll be posting more information about Coca-Cola and the Olympics leading up to Beijing. (Those Games start August 8, 2008 – 8-8-08 – so mark your calendars!)