As Baseball Season Kicks off in Toronto, Blue Jays™ Centre-Fielder Kevin Pillar is Ready to Power Through on and off the Field With POWERADE Canada

TORONTO--()--With his fearless style of play in the outfield and on the base paths, Kevin Pillar is known as one of the most exciting players in Major League Baseball®. The Toronto Blue Jays centre-fielder, nicknamed “Superman” because of his penchant for making spectacular catches, helped power his team into the postseason in 2016 and 2015.

As the 2017 Major League Baseball season begins, POWERADE is swinging for the fences with a new sponsorship deal with Pillar, effective through November, 2017. As part of the agreement, Pillar will be integrated into key marketing efforts for POWERADE in Canada – including retail activation, exciting events and more. POWERADE is the official sports drink of the Toronto Blue Jays, making this new partnership a natural fit. Also this season, POWERADE is offering a new Watermelon Strawberry flavour available in Canada while supplies last.

“I’m very excited to be joining the POWERADE team,” Pillar said. “I like the fact that POWERADE is constantly reinventing itself, that the brand is innovative and always trying to be the best at what they do, similar to myself. It’s a perfect fit.”

“POWERADE is a brand for the rising generation of athletes, obsessed with getting better and powering through whatever stands in the way of their potential,” said Michael Samoszewski, Vice President, Marketing, Coca-Cola Ltd. “Kevin is a rising star in Major League Baseball® who inspires fans everywhere with his passion for the game and making spectacular plays in the outfield. He has a tremendous work ethic and a fearless style of play that has earned him a loyal and growing following among baseball fans across Canada. He’s a fantastic addition to the POWERADE team.”

As the brand continues to win drinkers across Canada with its exclusive ION4 Advanced Electrolyte System, POWERADE plans to leverage Pillar’s success with the Blue Jays as he plays in his 7th season with the organization. He is considered one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball and was a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® in center field in both 2015 and 2016. Blue Jays pitchers and fans love having him in the outfield because they know that he plays with fearless passion and goes all out on every play to help his team win.

About Coca-Cola in Canada
Coca-Cola in Canada operates in all ten provinces, and employs 6,200 people in more than 50 facilities, including six production facilities across Canada. We offer a wide variety of beverage brands, many of which come in no-calorie and low-calorie options. These beverages include sparkling soft drinks, still waters, juices and fruit beverages, sports drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. We’re proud to offer some of the most popular brands in Canada including Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coca-Cola® Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Life™, Sprite®, Fanta®, Nestea®, Gold Peak™, POWERADE®, Minute Maid®, DASANI®, smartwater® and vitaminwater®. Coca-Cola in Canada is represented by Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada and Coca-Cola Ltd. For more information about our Company, please visit www.coca-cola.ca or www.thecoca-colacompany.com. For more information about POWERADE®, visit www.powerthrough.ca.

On Social Media:
Twitter: @Coca-ColaCo_ca
Facebook.com/Powerade

About Kevin Pillar
Kevin Pillar was born in West Hills, California and attended California State University Dominguez Hills. In 2011, the Toronto Blue Jays drafted him in the 32nd round. With hard work and determination, he earned the Blue Jays' everyday starting position in centre field. In 2016, he had a .266 batting average with 53 RBI and 14 stolen bases. He was a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® in centre field in both 2015 and 2016. He's on Twitter @KPILLAR4.

Contacts

Coca-Cola Ltd.
Shannon Denny, (647) 637-2574
sdenny@coca-cola.com

Release Summary

As the 2017 Major League Baseball season begins, POWERADE is swinging for the fences with a new sponsorship deal with Toronto Blue Jays Centre-Fielder Kevin Pillar.

Contacts

Coca-Cola Ltd.
Shannon Denny, (647) 637-2574
sdenny@coca-cola.com