"They understand they we're looking for the positive side of the Olympics," said Bodzenta, adding: "They are part of the PR team, but they are not Coke employees."

Coke, which employs numerous agencies for its online and traditional ad efforts, enlisted Vienna-based Knallgrau New Media Solutions to design and execute the site, "Torino Conversations," which went live less than 48 hours ago. The streamlined Web site allows for podcasting, the posting of photos, and comments from readers.

he community marketing project ties into Coca-Cola's aspirational "Live Olympic" campaign for the Torino games, which will ask consumers the question: "If life were an Olympic event, would you qualify?" Street teams will be giving away Coca-Cola products and spreading the "Live Olympic" message at the games, and Coke is sponsoring the "Torch Exhibition Tour," which will follow the Olympic torch as it makes its way through Italy to the games.

Both part-time and full-time bloggers are increasingly being courted by institutional sponsors looking to add an online community element to traditional marketing efforts. In late January, for instance, the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions said it would pay for 25 bloggers to come to Amsterdam for a press junket. The promotion, "Bloggers in Amsterdam," was arranged through the BlogAds Network, and includes the likes of Jossip, CityRag, and AmericaBlog.

Not unlike Coke's "Torino Conversations" site, Visa USA launched a site late last year where Olympic hopefuls are being encouraged to blog about the games. "The Journey: Our Road to the Olympics," is more technologically advanced than Coke's site, however, as it allows for podcasting, photo posting and comments, as well as the use of Flickr's photo-sharing service and video blogging.

The Coca-Cola Company has sponsored the Olympic Games since 1928. In August of last year, it renewed its longstanding relationship with the International Olympic Committee for another twelve years, beginning in 2009. Per the contract, Coke receives exclusive global marketing rights in the nonalcoholic beverages category, and use of the Olympic symbols and mascots in its advertising.

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