Of the the non-alcoholic beverage brands currently active in sport sponsorships in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, it is soft drinks giant Coca Cola that is expected to be the most committed, with an estimated 145 deals worth over $132m in 2021. Coca Cola is also responsible for the majority of US brand spend, which stands at $239m.
Patrick Kinch, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Coca Cola is currently spearheading sport sponsorship spend in the EMEA region, having secured six deals: most notably its partnerships with the IOC, UEFA’s European Championships, the Premier League and Serie A, including a Middle Eastern deal with the Dubai Arena.
“Being a leader in the EMEA non-alcoholic drinks industry, it is unsurprising that Coca Cola’s sponsorship spend matches its market position. The nearest brand in terms of sponsorship spend is Austrian energy drink brand Red Bull, which is currently spending close to $85m in the EMEA region.
“The closest soft drink brand is Coke rival, Pepsi, which is currently opting for a more selective sponsorship strategy – seeing only 23 active deals in 2021 compared to Coca Cola’s 145, and spending only $66m versus Coke’s $132m. Part of Pepsi’s approach includes the non-alcoholic beverage sector’s largest deal in the EMEA, a partnership with the UEFA Champions League in a deal reportedly worth $55m a year.”
Generally speaking, US non-alcoholic drinks brands are currently spending $239m in the EMEA region in 2021, which is more than brands from any other region. This surpasses the $216m currently spent by European brands, which although more numerous in volume are often deals for less exclusive sponsorship assets, with most European brands opting to partner with smaller scale domestic sponsorship opportunities.
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