London Olympics 2012 McDonald’s Coca Cola

At the London Olympics 2012, both McDonald's and The Coca‑Cola Company were official global sponsors, continuing long-standing partnerships with the Olympic Movement (McDonald’s since 1976 and Coca-Cola since 1928). Their role gave them exclusive rights to sell branded food and soft drinks inside the Olympic venues and to promote special products and branded merchandise tied to the Games, such as collectible glasses and memorabilia at McDonald’s restaurants worldwide. However, their involvement drew significant criticism from health campaigners and doctors in the UK, who argued that fast food and sugary drinks were at odds with the Olympic emphasis on elite athleticism and public health, and called for limits on such sponsorships; defenders of the partnerships argued sponsorship revenue was vital to funding the event and that consumers still had choices about what to purchase.