Free Tibet protesters target Coca-Cola annual meeting

by Ed Kemp, Marketing 16-Apr-08, 15:57

LONDON - Free Tibet activists plan to gather today outside the annual shareholders meeting of Olympic sponsor Coca-Cola to protest against the Olympic Torch Relay passing through Tibet on its way to the Beijing.

Protesters argue that carrying the Olympic Torch through Tibet would be not only insensitive but could also provoke violence. The protesters believe that the Torch Relay's three presenting partners, Coca-Cola, Samsung and Lenovo, hold enough sway with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to convince the governing body to reroute the Relay.

Students for a Free Tibet, the US group that led protests earlier this month in San Francisco, where it hung banners from the Golden Gate Bridge, will gather outside Coca-Cola's annual shareholders meeting in Delaware. The protesters will bring 105 Tibetans from New York by bus for the demonstration, as well as 60 other supporters from around the world. The demonstration is being orchestrated by exiled Tibetan and executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, Lhadon Tethong. The activist is expected to issue a rallying cry to supporters.

A spokesman for Coca-Cola in Atlanta said: 'Coca-Cola doesn't play a role [in deciding] which cities [the Torch Relay] travels to or have input in changing its course. That is left to the organising comittee, Bocog, and the IOC.'

Separately, other activist groups, including the Free Tibet Campaign, have this week met in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss their strategy regarding the three sponsors. A spokesman said he also expected pressure to be applied to Volkswagen, which is supporting the Relay with the provision of vehicles.

Comments

Tom Hallam - 17/04/2008

I hope the presenters cause mayhem...Coca cola's always utilising stupid brand associations when was the last Olympian fuel by a drink linked to dental and obesity problems. Down with coca cola mass murder of any creative marketing.