Not to be overlooked though is the much-anticipated advertising derby.  With Nielsen reporting 106.5 million viewers of last year’s game, the ad buys have rolled in.

What’s different this year?  The veil of secrecy has been lifted.  Today, the name of the game for many advertisers is to get their spots out earlier via social media. And the 40-inch flat screen is by no means the only game in town.  The Super Bowl ad world now fully integrates mobile phones and iPads as well as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

USA Today says many advertisers view this year’s Super Bowl as a tipping point between traditional media and social media.  As reported in The New York Times, the name of the game is to use social media to “build buzz” not just during the game, but before and afterwards.

We at Sip & Savor enjoyed reading about two of our member companies’ Super Bowl plans— The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo — in the advertising articles leading up to the game. We hope you enjoy the commercials and enjoy the game!

Our association includes many companies which, while part of the fabric of America, are also some of the most recognized global brands.  Their presence is felt around the world – and their commitment to the communities in which they operate is strong.

In the United States alone, our industry employs 208,000 people.  And we support hundreds of thousands more jobs that depend, in part, on beverage sales for their livelihood.  Thus it is no surprise that trade negotiations, job growth and other facets of today’s discussion may be of interest to CEOs of not only our industry, but most business leaders today.

Being environmentally responsible is a continuous effort for our member companies.  They are constantly working on new ways of further reducing their impact on the environment. This includes reducing and reusing 100 percent recyclable packaging, using more post-consumer recycled materials and deploying hybrid trucks for deliveries. Our companies are working on saving energy and reducing green house gasses (GHGs), too.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG) has a four-pillared environmentally consciousness program that includes energy and water conservation, recycling and solid waste reduction and lightweighting of materials. In fact, DPSG also has been working to replace coolers and vending machines across the country with more energy efficient, environmentally conscious equipment.

PepsiCo is delivering on commitments to save energy and reduce GHGs as well. They have set a number of goals to be completed by 2015, including reducing fuel use by 25 percent, improving energy use efficiency by 20 percent and reducing greenhouse gas intensity for U.S. operations by 25 percent as part of a joint effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leaders Program.

The Coca-Cola Company recently introduced new climate-friendly vending equipment. The introduction follows a promise made by the company that 100 percent of new vending machines and coolers will be hydrofluorocarbon-free (HFC-free) by 2015, which will reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of removing more than 11 million cars from the road for one year!

These are just a few examples of the steps that our member companies are taking to make sure that they do their part in protecting the environment for generations to come. For more information on the beverage industry, be sure to check back with us here or on Facebook and Twitter! And to learn more about our environmental efforts, please visit our recycling and water resources issue sites.

Happy America Recycles Day!

Our member companies also recognize the commitment and dedication of our veterans.  For example, The Coca-Cola Company’s observance at its Atlanta headquarters featured remarks from the president of the United Service Organization (USO) and a performance by the 82nd Airborne Division “All American” Chorus.  PepsiCo is honoring our troops and the environment.  Through the company’s Dream Machine recycling initiative, it has funded a $500,000 donation to the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), a national program offering free career training, education and job creation for post-9/11 U.S. veterans with disabilities.

Please visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website for information on Veterans Day observances around the country.  There are also background materials that can help you learn and inform others of the importance of this national holiday as well as information on available benefits for those who have served.

We hope you, too, take a moment to honor our troops where you live today.  And if you are a member of our military, or one of our honored veterans, we thank you for your service to this great nation.

Recognized last night for their long term commitments and contributions to the beverage industry, Beverage World inducted four new members into its Hall of Fame:  John Brock, chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises; Kim Jeffery, CEO and president of Nestle Waters North America; Edwin “Cookie” Rice, chairman and CEO of Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. and Cliff Ritchie, president and CEO of Carolina Beverage Corp. and Cheerwine Bottling Co.  It was quite an event!

But, that’s not all we have going on. The show floor will open at noon today and there are many more live events coming up.  Here are a few highlights for today:

• At 3:30 p.m. in the New Beverage Theater, Beverage Marketing Corporation’s Gary Hemphill will provide insight into U.S. Market Trends in the beverage industry.  His presentation will cover emerging products, categories and markets.
• And on center stage at 4:30 p.m., Spring Wireless will host a first of its kind industry town hall.  John Sicher of Beverage Digest will moderate a panel of leading industry officers, including:  J. Alexander M. (Sandy) Douglas, President and Chief Operating Officer, North America Group, The Coca-Cola Company; Jim Johnston, President – Concentrate Sales, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Tom Bené, President, Pepsi-Cola North American Beverages.  This is one you definitely don’t want to miss!
• Two other events happening this evening are worth pointing out:  the Beverage Industry Executive of the Year award reception at 5:30 p.m. on center stage and at 6:30 p.m. the InterBev Beverage Innovation Awards (check with the registration desk for tickets!).

There is plenty of additional information on scheduling and more on the “Schedule At-A-Glance” section of the InterBev website.  So, check in there to see if you can come join us today.  We hope to see you out on the show floor!  For those of you who can’t join us in Orlando, Fla., we hope you’ll check in with us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest!

We’ll hear from William McDonough, internationally renowned designer, primary proponent of “The Next Industrial Revolution” and author of Cradle to Cradle.  And, we’ll listen-in to the first of its kind Industry Town Hall that features executives from The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and PepsiCo.

The American Beverage Association is pleased once again to co-sponsor InterBev 2010 with the International Bottled Water Association.

And we at Sip & Savor hope you’ll follow the InterBev experience on Facebook and Twitter.

We at Sip & Savor will be exploring the trade show floor, attending education sessions and checking out the brand-new live  events – gathering the latest on trends, challenges and innovations in our industry.  We’re looking forward to sharing the experience with you in our blogs and tweets next week from Orlando.  We’re especially excited for the Industry Town Hall next Thursday, which will feature top executives from The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and PepsiCo.

And we’re also excited that InterBev 2010 is once again co-sponsored by the American Beverage Association and the International Bottled Water Association.

You may be following us already, but – if not – make sure you check in with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Sure chocolate can be found in cookies and candy, but did you know that there are many varieties of smoothies, yogurts and even carbonated beverages that have a cocoa kick that could make a delicious, occasional treat?  And many are made by ABA member companies!  For example, Brand Source, Inc. makes hot chocolates and gourmet lattes.  The Coca-Cola Company makes several chocolate Odwalla protein drinks, as well as Godiva Belgian Blends.  Dr Pepper Snapple Group makes Yoo-Hoo, and Egg Cream America, Inc., of New York makes chocolate egg creams for your enjoyment.  PepsiCo distributes Starbucks Mocha and Mocha Lite ready-to-drink Frappuccinos, and the Tru-Ade Company makes Tru-Ade Chocolate.  Check out our “Who Makes What” page for more!

And don’t forget, all of these beverages can be part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle – just be sure to balance the calories you take in by getting out and getting active.  Happy International Chocolate Day!

The first of its kind Town Hall will feature top executives from The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and PepsiCo.  Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from J. Alexander M. (Sandy) Douglas, president and chief operating officer, North America Group, The Coca-Cola Company; Jim Johnston, president, concentrate sales, Dr Pepper Snapple Group; and Tom Bené, president, Pepsi-Cola North American Beverages. John Sicher, publisher of Beverage Digest, will moderate.

Those of you who are attending InterBev 2010 can look forward to an informative and riveting discussion on key industry topics.  And for those who will not be there, please look for upcoming reports here at Sip & Savor – and follow us on Twitter.

We are grateful to Spring Wireless for sponsoring this unique beverage industry event that will represent a great moment in our industry’s long history.  Spring Wireless is the industry leader in mobile applications platform, works with some of the largest consumer goods and beverage companies to help improve key field sales and marketing business processes such as direct store delivery, retail execution optimization, trade promotion management, merchandising and more.

InterBev is co-sponsored by the American Beverage Association and the International Bottled Water Association.

We have our calendars marked for this event – and certainly hope you do as well!

One fun and interactive feature on the ABA website is our water use comparison page.  You may be surprised to learn that the beverage industry facilities account for a very small portion of the nation’s overall water use.  Because water is a key component of all our products, we are, as an industry, responsible users of it.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the largest users of water in the United States are the irrigation and thermoelectric power industries, which account for 82 percent of total water use.  The public supply amounts to 11 percent of total water use, and of that, the beverage industry’s use of water accounts for only 3/100ths of 1 percent.

Still, the beverage industry continues to minimize its environmental footprint, and responsible water use is part of that.  In fact, just this week, the Environmental Leader reported on PepsiCo.’s recent water efficiency improvements as outlined in its 2009 Corporate Citizenship Report. PepsiCo., a global company, saved more than more than 12 billion liters of water last year.  And by 2015 they aim to improve water use efficiency by 20 percent per unit of production.  Proving that responsible water use isn’t just good for the environment, they are also working, on that same timeline, to provide access to clean water to 3 million people in developing countries.

Also this year, The Coca-Cola Company collaborated with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide about 1.5 million dollars to improve water and sanitation in Ghana for the next three years.

And the Dr Pepper Snapple Group continues to work to reduce liquid losses, minimize wastewater discharge and explore new ways to use recovered water, such as for plant irrigation and cooling systems.

We all need to do our part to reduce water use and increase our water efficiency.  Please check back with Sip & Savor for more information on the many ways the beverage industry is working to improve the environment we all share.