Ronaldo snubs Coke - an inspirational move?
Coca-Cola's market value plummeted after Cristiano Ronaldo set aside two Coca-Cola bottles at a European Championship press conference and then held up a bottle of water bottle and declared "água". The next day French player Paul Pogba followed this up by removing a bottle of (non-alcoholic) Heineken beer.
Small gesture with a big impact
Ronaldo is challenging Uefa, Yeni Şafak comments:
“Anyone who has read Ronaldo's biography knows that he leads a life that goes beyond sport. He doesn't consume alcohol, doesn't smoke and doesn't get tattoos because he donates blood on a regular basis. So it fits in with his image that he doesn't want an unhealthy drink that contains at least seven sugar cubes per glass put right under his nose. In fact he's also sent a message to Uefa, which organises the tournament. ... Irrespective of what prompted him to push the Coca-Cola bottles aside, the gesture was a loaded one. He was throwing down the gauntlet.”
Nine out of ten children eat an unhealthy diet
Aftonbladet is delighted by Ronaldo's action, pointing to a report presented by Prince Daniel:
“This shows that only two out of ten children between the ages of four and 17 get enough exercise, and only one in ten eats a healthy diet. ... Prince Daniel says there needs to be a shift in society's norms so that children learn to eat better and exercise more. For that they need role models. That's why, just like Cristiano Ronaldo, the Swedish national team should have snubbed the soft drinks and pizza.”
Honi soit qui mal y pense
Die Presse suspects a marketing coup behind the whole incident:
“We'll see in the next few days whether pushing bottles aside becomes the next big Uefa Championship trend. ... At any rate one thing is clear: presenting branded products at press conferences is an expensive affair. In the case of Ronaldo's Coke bottles, it is said to have cost millions. Thanks to Cristiano's reaction the sponsor may now be able to double its profits. Shame on whoever thinks bad of it. Reverse psychology in sports advertising is nothing new, but it's effective. ... Once again, it's all about money.”