Coca-Cola to Auction Its First-Ever NFT Collectibles on International Friendship Day

Auction opens July 30 via digital marketplace OpenSea

Proceeds from four-day auction will be donated to Special Olympics International, Coca-Cola’s friend and partner for more than 50 years

NFTs reflect the multi-sensory experience of Coca-Cola and were inspired by shared moments of friendship

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coca-Cola has created its first-ever NFT collectibles to commemorate International Friendship Day on July 30. All Coca-Cola proceeds from the four-day auction on digital marketplace OpenSea will go to Special Olympics International.

Coca-Cola has long been known around the world for bringing people together to experience simple, shared moments that surprise and delight. The brand’s first digital collectibles—inspired by shared moments of friendship—were created in partnership with developer Tafi, the leading creator of custom 3D content for avatar and emoji systems, and Virtue, the agency by Vice, which developed the initial concept.

Auctioned as a single lot, the four-piece collection features multi-sensory NFTs housed inside a Friendship Box—itself an NFT—packaged as a loot box, a play on the popular video game feature involving sealed mystery “boxes”:

• The Friendship Box reimagines Coca-Cola’s highly collectible 1956 retro vending machines for the metaverse. A play on the loot box, the exterior is decorated with symbols of friendship and sharing that fade upon opening to reveal the vintage vending machine as the first NFT.
• A custom Coca-Cola Bubble Jacket Wearable—a futuristic jacket—is illuminated with effervescent fizz, purposely designed with subtle nods to Coke’s nostalgic delivery uniforms. It also will include an unlockable version that can be worn in the Decentraland 3D virtual reality platform. Inspired by metaverse trends and utility, the jacket features the Coca-Cola color palette, fusing the metallic red of the aluminium can and caramel brown of the delicious drink.
• The Sound Visualizer captures the experience of sharing a Coca-Cola using instantly recognizable audio cues: the pop of a bottle opening, the sound of a beverage being poured over ice, the unmistakeable fizz and that first refreshing taste.
• The Friendship Card reimagines the design of Coca-Cola’s famous friendship-inspired trading cards from the 1940s for the digital world. The cards bear the “Symbol of Friendship” moniker.

In the spirit of loot boxes, additional unique and valuable surprises will be unveiled exclusively to the auction’s winning bidder when digitally opened.

“Coca-Cola is one of the most collectible brands in the world, and it has shared its rich heritage with consumers through simple moments of joy for decades,” said Selman Careaga, president, Global Coca-Cola Trademark. “We are excited to share our first NFTs with the metaverse, where new friendships are being forged in new ways in new worlds, and to support our longstanding friend and partner, Special Olympics International. Each NFT was created to celebrate elements that are core to the Coca-Cola brand, reinterpreted for a virtual world in new and exciting ways.”

Decentraland also will celebrate the launch of the Coca-Cola NFT auction with an event in the metaverse.

The auction begins at 12:01 a.m. UTC on Friday, July 30, and close at 8 p.m. UTC on Monday, Aug. 2. For more information, visit https://maketafi.com/coca-cola-nft

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Special Olympics

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With more than six million athletes and Special Olympics Unified Sports® partners in over 190 countries and territories and more than one million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and over 100,000 games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org.

About Tafi

Founded in 2019, Tafi’s mission is to make personalized avatars and branded digital content available to anyone to everyone who wants to level-up their digital personality. Partnering with mobile phone platforms and software applications, Tafi puts its world-class avatar content engine at your fingertips. Learn more at MakeTafi.com.

About OpenSea

OpenSea is the first and largest marketplace for user-owned digital goods, which include collectibles, gaming items, domain names, digital art, and other assets backed by a blockchain. For more information, visit https://opensea.io.