Coke Zero Seeks Performer With All the Right Moves for Ad Global Campaign

Director Jon M. Chu and Legion of Extraordinary Dancers Help Search for the Face of the Coke Zero Dance

ATLANTA, SEPT. 27, 2011 ­- It's every performer's ultimate dream: landing the gig that will showcase their talents for all the world to see. But what if you can't even get your foot in the door to audition? Coke Zero is dedicated to helping determined individuals make it possible, by giving them the opportunity to realize their aspirations through an open casting call.

For the most impressive individual, a starring role in the brand's next global ad campaign awaits. No professional resume or agent required; just passion, artistic drive, and the willingness to express individuality and swagger -- plus the means to upload a video to CokeZero.com/MakeItPossible.

In August, Coke Zero embarked on an adventure with director Jon M. Chu and the dancers from his web series "The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers (LXD)" to discover a fun and infectious dance and the creator behind that move. Hundreds of submissions were uploaded from around the world, and, after sifting through videos from fan favorites like Australia's Eric Morales, Mexico's TeckFlyer, and the United States' M.O.H., a smooth, side-to-side toe-tapping move called the "Toe Tappy" choreographed by Joel "Knucklehead" Turman of the United States, who appeared with the Street Kingdom crew on season six of MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew," was selected. Now, Coke Zero is holding an open audition for performers to submit their own interpretation of the dance for a chance to appear in an international marketing campaign.

"We recognize that some of the best performances can come from the most unexpected places, which is why we're taking our casting call outside of traditional venues and allowing anyone with a gift and ambition to share their vision with us," said Jonathan Mildenhall, VP, Global Content Excellence, The Coca-Cola Company. "We were so inspired by Knucklehead's story -- how he turned to dance as a means to overcome personal tragedy and find joy and purpose in his life -- and we can't wait to find an artist who will embody Knucklehead's journey in their performance so we can share it with a global audience. We are surrounded by tales of possibility every day, and, as a brand, we feel fortunate that we can harness the brilliance that comes from our consumers to highlight the great potential that exists in the world."

"We were blown away by the creativity that dancers at every level brought to us," said Jon M. Chu. "We saw so many amazing moves and enjoyed crowd-sourcing the dance so much that we're raising the stakes to see how people will put their unique spin on the 'Toe Tappy' to take it to the next level. It's such a cool opportunity for someone to score their big break, while being part of a collaborative experience."

An instructional video of the "Toe Tappy," accompanying music and upload instructions can be found at CokeZero.com/MakeItPossible. Auditions will be accepted online through October, and the star of the campaign will be named in early November.

Have two left feet? Don't count yourself out: those who aren't moved to be in front of the camera can still participate in the process by weighing in on the performances that inspire them the most at CokeZero.com/MakeItPossible.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

About Jon M. Chu/Legion of Extraordinary Dancers
Jon M. Chu established himself as a versatile, original, and technologically innovative director with the success of his feature-film debut, "Step Up 2: The Streets" and "Step Up 3D." In February 2011, Paramount Pictures released the Chu-directed 3D documentary film "Never Say Never," which tells the story of music phenomenon Justin Bieber and grossed over $98 million worldwide. Chu is currently directing Paramount Pictures' "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation," the second installment to the hugely popular franchise, to be released in August of 2012. Chu also created and directs the prolific Legion of Extraordinary Dancers (LXD), a collective of dancers of all styles. He recently launched the second volume of "The LXD," the world's first online dance adventure series through Paramount Digital. LXD has also performed at the Academy Awards®, "So You Think You Can Dance," "Conan," the 2010 TED conference, and on the 2010 "Glee" live tour.

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