Beverage giants Coca Cola announced today that they will be ending their sponsorship of Christmas after December 2012. The unbroken 79 year spell - thought to be the longest in marketing history - is universally adjudged to have been the catalyst for the organisation's rise to dominance in the global soft drinks sector.
A worded statement to the NYSE explained that in light of the world recession the company is to look to other marketing channels in an effort to stay ahead of the competition. One of the casualties will be the red and white Santa Claus character that has been taken to the hearts of youngsters all over the world.
Early indications are that Birds Eye lead a group of potential successors for the lucrative seasonal tie-in after their CEO publicly suggested an interest in the franchise. Market analysts believe that the organisation see their existing Captain Birdseye figurehead as the ideal replacement for Santa Claus with obvious similarities such as the white beard, sharing ethos and the existing association with young children.
One insider suggested that a campaign team had already begun to develop this concept for Christmas 2013 with commercials expected to feature Captain Birdseye visiting hungry children on a sleigh and handing out fish fingers from a blue and white sack.
While not yet confirmed, a take over by Birdseye would be welcome news to countless Santa Claus workers across the globe as it would offer a relatively seamless transition to Captain Birdseye. Potential rival bidders include Cillit Bang whose replacement character Barry Scott would most likely be received unfavourably by these workers and children alike.
