Globetrotting "Happiness Ambassadors” Conclude Year-Long Coca-Cola Expedition 206 Adventure with the Secret to Happiness

As the New Year approaches, many people will spend time reflecting on things they’ve done, people they’ve met and places they’ve seen during the past 12 months, but few will be able to match the experiences of three young people who spent 2010 criss-crossing the globe on a quest to find what makes people happy.

More than 275,000 miles, 186 countries, and 365 days after hitting the road, (L to R) Antonio Santiago, Kelly Ferris and Tony Martin arrived at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Ga., crossing the finish line on Coca-Cola Expedition 206, one of the world's most ambitious travel adventures. The three "happiness ambassadors" set out to visit 206 countries and territories where Coca-Cola is sold – or as many as they possibly could in one year – to seek out and document sources of happiness around the world. (Photo: Business Wire)

On Jan. 1, 2010, Tony Martin, Kelly Ferris and Antonio Santiago – who were selected as part of a worldwide online vote – set off from Madrid, Spain, on an unprecedented journey known as Coca-Cola Expedition 206. The mission: visit 206 countries and territories where Coca-Cola is sold – or as many as they possibly could in one year – to seek out and document sources of happiness around the world.

"People of all countries and cultures told us family and friends are what make them happy most, and they often mentioned good music, good food and sports,” Ferris said. "The general rule is that people make people happy. When they mention food or music or sports, they talk about sharing those experiences with other people as the true source of happiness.”

More than 275,000 miles, 186 countries, and 365 days after hitting the road, the team of three "happiness ambassadors” arrived this morning at the World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta, crossing the finish line on one of the world’s most ambitious travel adventures.

The team was greeted at the finish line by some of the happiest people they met during the expedition, who came to Atlanta from places like China, Ukraine and South Korea. As part of the festivities, the team members shared highlights of their journey and the common themes of happiness they uncovered – family, friends, music, sports and food.

From Aruba to Zimbabwe and nearly everywhere in between, the team members brought their adventure to life for fans and followers in real-time, on www.Expedition206.com and a variety of social networking sites, including YouTube (http://youtube.com/expedition206), Twitter (http://twitter.com/x206), Flickr (http://flickr.com/e206) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/cocacola#!/cocacola?v=app_174987628085).

"The magic of Expedition 206 was in the way it brought people together in a global conversation about happiness, highlighting stories of positivity and optimism that people everywhere were eager to share,” said Clyde Tuggle, Senior Vice President of Global Public Affairs and Communications at The Coca-Cola Company. "With a journey that nearly matched the reach of the Coca-Cola brand, combined with the global adoption of social media, the Expedition 206 team was able to share the many moments of happiness they found in the almost 200 countries they visited, with millions of people around the world.”

Martin, 30, a Washington, D.C., native who teaches kindergarten in Munich; Ferris, 24, a university student from Brussels; and Santiago, 25, a university student from Mexico City, made stops in cities big and small, visiting everyday people and marquee global events, such as the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Canada, the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and the Shanghai 2010 World Expo in China. Along the way, fans of Expedition 206 around the world served as "virtual travel agents” for the team members, helping decide where they should go, what they should do and who they should meet when they arrived at a new destination.

"It was a long and sometimes challenging journey, but what truly kept us going were the smiling faces and stories of happiness we encountered every step of the way,” Martin said. "We knew it was going to be an amazing journey, but I never anticipated the wealth of friends, memories and unique experiences we would collect. Wrapping up this expedition and coming back to Atlanta to see many of these people gathered from around the world tops off a year of my life I’ll certainly never forget.”

The legacy of Expedition 206 will live on beyond the finale in Atlanta. Throughout the journey, the team received specially designed Coca-Cola bottles created by artists from around the world, decorated to represent happiness in the local culture. These one-of-a-kind bottles will be displayed in a special collection at the World of Coca-Cola museum. In addition, the photos, videos and memories collected during the journey are being compiled for a planned documentary film expected to be released later in 2011.

The team will answer questions from fans and offer a full account of the adventure during a live webcast chat event at www.livestream.com/e206. The live webcast will occur Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. EST and will be archived for on-demand viewing following the event.

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. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio includes 12 other 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 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources 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.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Video and images to accompany this story can be found in the Press Kit at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6557751&lang=en