OCEAN CITY — The resort’s recently renewed beverage contract with Coca-Cola, making it the “official soft drink of Ocean City,” is already triggering a series of potential special events to celebrate the partnership.
Recreation and Parks Director Susan Petito told Recreation and Parks Committee members last week the beverage contract between the town and Coca-Cola had been successfully completed. The new contract renews a five-year agreement between the town and the company reached in 2012, making Coca-Cola the town’s exclusive beverage franchise holder and making it the “official soft drink of Ocean City.”
The contract, among other things, provides that Coca-Cola products will be served in all town-owned properties and at all town-operated events. The benefits to the town provided by Coca-Cola include direct annual cash payments, commissions on product sales, media advertising and marketing support and free products for town events. In addition, Coca-Cola will also make an annual contribution to the Ocean City Recreation Boosters, a non-profit community organization that supports youth recreation programs.
With the ink still not dry on the new contract, Petito said Coca-Cola is already planning special events and other amenities to celebrate the renewed partnership. For example, Coca-Cola plans to install three oversized Adirondack-style chairs at different locations around the resort adorned with Coke and Ocean City logos offering unique photo opportunities for visitors.
Special Events Director Frank Miller explained two of the oversized chairs would be located on the beach including one roughly near North Division Street and another further up the Boardwalk. The third oversized photo-op chair would be located at Northside Park during special events and tournaments, for example.
Miller explained the chairs would be built on site and weigh around 700 pounds and would be made of a special material suitable for the resort’s coastal climate. Miller said he was checking with the public works and engineering departments to ensure the chairs could be located on the beach throughout the summer.
“Once they are built, they would have to be able to stay out there for an extended period of time,” he said. “At 700 pounds, it’s not like they could be moved in and out all the time.”
Councilman and Recreation and Parks Committee chair Wayne Hartman reminded Miller the oversized chairs would have to be removed from the beach in the offseason. Miller said another special event being explored by Coca-Cola and the city as part of the new franchise agreement was an annual sandcastle building contest.
The beverage giant would host the annual contest at a location to be determined. The contest would be a family-friendly event complete with prizes for individuals, families and groups. It would include two 10-foot by 10-foot tents, tubs of free Coca-Cola product giveaways, corn hole boards, volleyball nets, music and other giveaways including sunglasses, beach towels, coolers and hats, for example.
Miller explained there would be some in-kind contribution from the town including assistance with the set-up and tear-down, but the proposed event would largely be sponsored and paid for by Coca-Cola, representing a win-win for both parties.
“It’s a good value-added event because it’s promoted by the sponsor and paid for by the sponsor,” he said. “We just have to market it. Right now, it’s only a concept but we’re looking for a blessing for the committee to move forward with it.”
Petito said Coca-Cola is also inquiring about sponsorships for other special events such as movies on the beach and beach parties.
