Amsterdam hosted the 1928 Olympic Games where Coca-Cola began its Olympic sponsorship.
The 1928 Summer Olympics took place in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from 28 July to 12 August. Coca-Cola used the Games as the starting point for its official Olympic association, supplying beverages and promoting the brand around the event.
This sponsorship helped Coca-Cola move from primarily American advertising into a more international marketing role. The company’s visual identity and promotional materials could appear alongside athletes, national teams, and Olympic symbols, making the drink familiar to visitors from many countries.
The Amsterdam Games are sometimes confused with later Olympic events because Coca-Cola’s sponsorship continued for decades. Los Angeles hosted the 1932 Olympics, Berlin hosted the 1936 Games, and Paris hosted the 1924 Games. None of those cities marks the start of Coca-Cola’s Olympic partnership; Amsterdam does.