Coca-Cola Invites Deaf Community To Experience Coke Studio Season 9
Karachi, October 20, 2016: Following the epic finale of what has been the biggest and boldest edition of Coke Studio; Coca-Cola has invited members of the Deaf Community to experience the music of Season 9. The innovative technology piloted under the project “Coke Studio for Deaf”, and unveiled via a heart-warming video just before the season launch has been installed at the Deaf Reach School, Karachi campus.Announcing the big news, the General Manager of Coca-Cola Pakistan, Rizwan U. Khan stated, “Coke Studio encompasses a philosophy of bridging barriers and blurring boundaries.
Over 9 seasons we have bridged generational, cultural, gender, age, and geographical gaps. Last year we realized that there are 9 million people who have some form of hearing impairment, and have not experienced the magic of Coke Studio. We firmly believe music is a feeling everyone should experience. So we launched a unique initiative called Coke Studio for the Deaf and have installed the setup in partnership with the Deaf Reach Program to invite members of the Deaf Community to experience this unique initiative.”The setup invented in China, was first tested out by the Coca-Cola brand team earlier this year when it was installed in Bangkok. A group of 8 students and faculty of the Deaf Reach School were taken to Bangkok to try out the system first hand. Their experience was nothing short of remarkable, with the group members actually experiencing Coke Studio for the very first time in their lives. Based on this great success, Coca-Cola Pakistan decided to acquire the system for use in Pakistan, with a vision to enable more people from the Deaf Community to also experience the music of Coke Studio.At the heart of the unique studio-like set-up enabling hearing impaired persons to feel and experience the music of Coke Studio, is a special sofa or couch embedded with hundreds of vibration engines and LED lights that are synced with the sound of the song being played. A grand LED installation around the couch provides synchronized mood lighting to elevate the experience visually. Finally an LED screen in front of the sofa displays the video playback, while the studio is propped with guitars on stands, table and Coke Studio images adding to the overall ambience.Richard Geary, founder and director of the Deaf Reach Program in Pakistan for the past 30 years inviting the Deaf Community said, “This is a great opportunity for the Deaf Community enabling them to experience music and become part of society as a whole. We are delighted to host our fellow community members at our Karachi campus for this marvelous sonic treat.”The setup of Coke Studio for Deaf will open its doors to the Deaf Community throughout the month of October.
About 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. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands including, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, Vitaminwater, POWERADE, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia,Dasani, FUZE TEA and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, readyto-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day.With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused oninitiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, CocaCola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/theco
About Family Educational Services Foundation:
Deaf Reach Schools are a project of Family Educational Services Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for disadvantaged communities in Pakistan. Deaf Reach is the only school system for the Deaf in Pakistan with a branch network, and focuses on a holistic approach providing Academic and Vocational Skills, Parent and Teacher Training programs, Employment placement, and development of Pakistan Sign Language (PSL) learning resources. Learn more at www.deafreach.com
