"Here's to finding parking in Chicago in 2016," said one toasting guest at Friday night's "Celebrate the Spirit" event. Hosted by Coca-Cola, the cocktail party drew approximately 1,000 guests to the tented rooftop of the Harris Theater, which was decked with brand activations for the soft drink—as well as a few Olympics-ring props and other reminders of the games that Chicago won't be hosting in 2016, as locals had learned earlier that day.
Clare Brunnert, commercial channel manager for Coca-Cola's central region, said the company didn't view hosting an event on the big announcement day as particularly risky, since the party was intended as a celebration of the Games in general, and not just of Chicago's bid. "Coca-Cola has been associated with the Olympic Games since 1928, longer than any other corporate sponsor," she said. "We support the Olympic Games no matter which city or nation hosts the event, and the goal for [Friday's gathering] was really to celebrate the Olympic movement, our strong support of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and Coca-Cola's six pack of athletes."
Comprising gymnast Shawn Johnson, speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, figure skating pair Rockne Brubaker and Keauna McLaughlin, figure skater Evan Lysacek, and ice hockey player Angela Ruggiero, the so called "six-pack" will appear on Coca-Cola packaging and in-store merchandise in the coming months. The athletes "serve as Coca-Cola's ambassadors for active living, and help encourage and inspire [our customers] to live an active life," according to Brunnert, and they all appeared at Friday's event.
Along with signing autographs and posing for photos with guests, who included Coca-Cola customers and marketing partners, the six-pack athletes provided entertainment. At around 10 p.m., Johnson, a former Dancing With the Stars contestant, took to the stage with her partner from the show, Corky Ballas. Decked in sparkly gear, the duo performed a choreographed routine to Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T."
Brunnert said she and her fellow Coca-Cola reps wanted to ensure that Friday's event would be celebratory and upbeat, though they couldn't predict the outcome of the Olympic bid or what kind of a mood bid-backing attendees would be in. To lend a lighthearted vibe to the evening, organizers arranged for DJ MoMo to spin songs such as Shannon's "Let the Music Play" and Pink's "So What." Food for Thought's appetizers included comfort foods like french fries wrapped in checkered wax paper and steamed dumplings in mini Chinese takeout containers. At the bar, specialty drinks came with Olympics-themed—but host-city-neutral—names such as "Finish Line" and "Triple Axle."
