Coca-Cola “Opens Happiness” at the 2009 Essence Music Festival Presented by Coca-Cola

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coca-Cola continues its long-standing support of the Essence Music Festival Presented by Coca-Cola, the summer’s largest African-American music and empowerment event in the country. This year, Coca-Cola will bring Mike Bivins, Janelle Monae, Premier, DJ Biz Markie and DJ Nice to the Festival to refresh more than 200,000 attendees throughout the weekend.

“Coca-Cola’s partnership with Essence Communications grows out of a shared commitment of giving back to our communities”

This year’s theme, “Open Happiness,” matches Coca-Cola’s new global integrated marketing campaign and offers a fun and exciting line up of activities including workout exercises, music, dancing, games and product sampling in the Coca-Cola booth. R&B group Premier will take center stage at the Festival’s annual Coca-Cola/Essence Youth Outreach Program, which will also feature games and motivational presentations. Additionally, the Company will provide recycling bins throughout venues in New Orleans during the Festival to collect plastic bottles and aluminum cans.

“Coca-Cola’s partnership with Essence Communications grows out of a shared commitment of giving back to our communities,” said Ingrid Saunders Jones, senior vice president, The Coca-Cola Company. “We sponsor this festival so that everyone will have a memorable, refreshing and lasting experience.”

To mark the 15^th anniversary of the Essence Music Festival, Coca-Cola will create very special moments throughout the three-day festival weekend, including granting $15,000 donations each to two New Orleans nonprofit organizations, hosting a summer barbeque for 1,500 festival goers, and distributing more than 60,000 15^th Anniversary Essence/Coca-Cola Commemorative bottles.

Other Coca-Cola activities include:

JULY 2

Youth Outreach Program: 10 am – 12 pm, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Featured artist Premier will provide entertainment at the Coca-Cola Essence Youth Outreach Program, where more than 5,000 young people will learn how to live positively.

JULY 3-5

Coca-Cola Booth: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Coca-Cola and the Army will host a “Morning Workout” for festival goers. Games, dancing, product sampling and distribution of the 15^th Anniversary Essence/Coca-Cola Commemorative bottles will round out the day. DJ Nice will be spinning live from the booth with today’s hottest remixes.

The Coca-Cola Superlounge: 7 pm – 12 am, Louisiana Superdome

Performances by Marva Wright, Eric Benet, The Knux, Janelle Monae, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave All Stars and the Blind Boys of Alabama.

JULY 4

Summer Grill & Chill: 12 - 3 pm, Piazza D ‘Italia (At The Loews - 300 Poydras Street)

Award winning R&B artist and producer Mike Bivins will host a Coca-Cola BBQ with world renowned DJ Biz Markie spinning live for invited guests.

Coca-Cola Booth: 9:30 am – 11:30 am

Mike Bivins will be looking for the next big R&B Teen sensation at the “Mike Biv Talent Search” being hosted at the Coca-Cola booth. Five contestants will compete to win the New Orleans competition of the search and move on to the finals being held in Washington, D.C., later this year.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, POWERADE, Minute Maid and Georgia Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of nearly 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our Web site at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.