Coca-Cola’s Elodie Peribere on the changing behaviour of fans and how brands must adapt

Football fandom is changing. As younger audiences move away from 90-minute matches and toward digital, multi-screen experiences, brands are rethinking how they connect with supporters. For Coca-Cola, that shift has led to one of its most culturally relevant campaigns yet, centred on Fantasy Football and the Premier League.

Football as a cultural heartbeat

“Football in Great Britain isn’t just a sport, it’s really part of the culture, part of fans’ everyday lives,” says Elodie Peribere, Senior Marketing Director for Coca-Cola GB and Ireland. “That’s what we really want to use with Coca-Cola. We want to use passion points to truly resonate with our consumers.”

The Premier League’s scale and cultural reach made it a natural platform. With over 25 million fans in the UK, including five million Gen Z, it offered both depth and diversity. “It’s the most prestigious football league in the world,” Peribere explains. “Our marketing strategy focuses on two audiences. Gen Z, by tapping into local relevancy, and the mass football fans through broader awareness.”

Meeting fans where they are

The rise of fantasy football has provided Coca-Cola with a new way to connect with fans in the moments they care about most. “When you think of Gen Z, the way they consume football is completely different,” says Peribere. “They don’t need to be watching a match in a pub or at home. They watch highlights on multiple screens, follow influencers, and scroll through social to feel part of the game.”

That behaviour is what inspired Coca-Cola’s Beat the Icon campaign, built around Fantasy Premier League “It’s about meeting fans where they are,” she says. “Everybody thinks they know best when it comes to football. Competing against an icon gives fans the chance to prove it and showcase their best self.”

The approach shifts the brand’s role from sponsor to participant in the football conversation, embedding Coca-Cola directly within fan culture rather than around it.

Playing the long game

Beyond the technology and social conversation, the partnership also offers Coca-Cola a season-long connection with fans. “What I love about the Premier League is that it’s long term,” says Peribere. “It runs from August to May, which allows us to connect with consumers consistently over time and not just during a short tournament.”

That steady rhythm mirrors Coca-Cola’s approach to brand building. Rather than chasing short bursts of exposure, the company aims to build lasting presence within the cultural moments that shape how people experience sport.

A new playbook for sponsorship

Coca-Cola’s evolving football strategy reflects a wider truth confronting every sponsor today. As fan behaviour changes, so must the sponsorship model. The days of relying on television coverage and static logos are giving way to a more fluid, digital form of engagement where community, culture, and conversation matter most.

For brands, the challenge is clear: to stay relevant, they must meet fans where they are, not where they used to be.