Would you pay upward of $750,000 for a Pepsi? Ronaldinho just did.
Coca-Cola has ended its expensive relationship with the former star of Brazilian soccer after he sipped from a can of Pepsi during a recent news conference.
For current and future Coca-Cola spokespersons, here are some best practices for endorsing Coke. 1) Drink it. 2) Don't drink Pepsi.
Details from World of Sport:
Ronaldinho stunned Coke chiefs by turning up at a press conference and sipping nonchalantly from a can of their arch-rivals' fizzy pop. Furious bosses at the Atlanta-based firm immediately demanded that the plug be pulled on his huge endorsement deal, according to a report in the 'O Estado de Sao Paulo' newspaper.
"The fact that the player has appeared with a can of Pepsi was the straw that broke the camel's back," Coca Cola marketing chief Marcelo Pontes told the paper. "The sponsorship had become embarrassing."
Embarrassing, sure. But is this display of brand disloyalty stunning? Ronaldinho has always been Pepsi:
About Reid and Mike
Reid Cherner has been with USA TODAY since 1982 and written Game On! since March 2008.
He has covered everything from high schools to horse racing to the college and the pros. The only thing he likes more than his own voice is the sound of readers telling him when he's right and wrong.
Michael Hiestand has covered sports media and marketing for USA TODAY, tackling the sports biz ranging from what's behind mega-events such as the Olympics and Super Bowl to the sometimes-hidden numbers behind the sports world's bottom line.