US soft drink giant Coca-Cola has been named the sole marketing agent by Warner Brothers to promote the film version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the companies announced today.
In addition to the film, set to make its debut on November 16th, the arrangement also makes Coca-Cola responsible for promoting the subsequent video version.
The Wall Street Journal, citing sources close to the transaction, said it could place as much as £150 million dollars' worth of Coca-Cola advertising support behind the movie, which is based on the hugely popular Harry Potter adventure books by British author J.K. Rowling.
Under terms of the deal, Coca-Cola will develop reading initiatives in communities where it operates.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Coke is considering bookmobiles and book donation programmes to libraries and will steer clear of promotional trinkets.
But it said Coca-Cola displays with a Harry Potter theme were likely to appear in supermarkets and other retail locations.
AFP