Olympic-themed Coca-Cola the real multilingual thing

ATLANTA — Olympic-themed Coke cans, bottles and packages will arrive in stores May 19 as Coca-Cola Co. begins rolling out its U.S. promotions for the Beijing Summer Games, Coke said Friday.

For the first time in the United States, the cans, bottles and packages will feature the Coca-Cola script in different languages. The products also will have 14 designs.

Languages for the cans and fridge packs include Ethiopian, Russian, Thai and Mandarin. New can designs will appear every two to three weeks.

Coke's 20-ounce plastic bottles will feature labels with languages from Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Korea, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The cans and bottles also will have English versions.

In addition, Coke will feature a "six pack" of athletes, including swimmer Natalie Coughlin and basketball star LeBron James, on packaging and in advertising.

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, the world's largest beverage firm, is a top sponsor of the Beijing Summer Games and the longest-running corporate supporter of the Olympics. The games begin in August.

"Together, Coca-Cola and the Olympic Games have shared and promoted the values of unity, optimism and inspiration for 80 years," Hendrik Steckhan, president and general manager for Coca-Cola North America sparkling beverages, said in a press statement. "For the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, we're continuing that legacy of engaging the world."

The Beijing Summer Games, though, are shaping up to be a contentious event. Some activist groups have criticized Coke and other Olympic sponsors for not pressing China on human rights issues and international policies.

Protesters interrupted the Olympic torch run in Paris, London, San Francisco and Nagano, Japan.

Coke believes the promotions will be well-received by the public, said Coke spokeswoman Susan Stribling. They stress the Olympics as a global force for good, she said. "One of the great things about the way this program is structured is that it really celebrates cultures from around the world," Stribling said.

"Because it's so universal and at the same time very local, I think it's going to be something people get excited about."

Joe Guy Collier writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.