DASANI Brings NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Sideline Experience to Fans; DASANI Connects with Consumers Through Retail, Tournament Game Broadcasts and San Antonio Festivities.

Entertainment Editors/Sports Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2004

Fans don't need tickets to the Men's Division I NCAA Final Four Championship games to get a game-day sideline experience. DASANI bottled water is conducting several NCAA basketball-themed initiatives nationally and in the San Antonio area to help bring the excitement of the sideline experience to fans. Activities include DASANI Fest -- a free outdoor festival featuring Grammy award-winning artists, national and regional retail activation, and DASANI-branded television vignettes.

"Through The Coca-Cola Company's NCAA sponsorship, DASANI is bringing the best of the Final Four sideline experience to basketball fans," said Blair Owens, DASANI marketing manager for The Coca-Cola Company. "And through DASANI Fest, our free all-day entertainment festival, people in San Antonio will enjoy an action-packed event they can't experience anywhere else."

Tournament Activation

As the official bottled water of the NCAA, DASANI-branded carts and coolers will be the only branded product on the sidelines at the NCAA Final Four. DASANI-branded vignettes also will run on CBS during the Men's Division I NCAA Tournament game broadcasts. The DASANI Sidelines Sky Cam will capture live team interactions between plays, while the DASANI Sideline Report will feature cut-ins from CBS Sportscasters Lesley Visser or Bonnie Bernstein, highlighting the action from the sidelines.

DASANI Fest

Beyond the court, DASANI will host a free outdoor festival on Sunday, April 4 from 12 to 7 p.m. DASANI Fest showcases the best of San Antonio and the NCAA Final Four with a variety of music and entertainment for basketball fans of all ages. The event's concert stage will feature Grammy award-winning artists such as Train and Blues Traveler, along with nationally recognized Sister Hazel and Better Than Ezra. Families can also enjoy interactive performances at the DASANI Family Stage presented by McDonald's, or sample a variety of signature dishes from San Antonio's top restaurants.

In addition to the day-long festivities, DASANI will host a special cooking competition featuring top NCAA coaches and local chefs. The 2nd Annual Slam Dunk Skillet Showdown pairs a chef and coach in an iron-chef-like battle where roles reverse. The chefs start the cook-off by shooting free throws to select the ingredients and then "coach" the coaches as they prepare a southwestern-themed dish. Bonnie Bernstein, sideline reporter for CBS Sports, will emcee the event and the winning dish will be chosen by other top NCAA coaches on the judging panel. NCAA coaches scheduled to compete in or judge the competition include:

Roy Williams of University of North Carolina; Tom Izzo of Michigan State; Mike Davis of Indiana; Rick Majerus formerly of University of Utah; Mike Jarvis formerly of St. John's University and George Washington University (2002 Cook Off defending Champion); Mike Brey of Notre Dame; Derek Whittenburg of Fordham University; Ron Hunter of IUPUI; Kelvin Sampson of Oklahoma University; and Ben Howland from UCLA.

The winners of the competition will receive the coveted Iron Skillet trophy, and a $10,000 donation on behalf of the winning coach will be made to the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Designer Basketball Auction

DASANI also will feature the college basketball coaches' creative sides through its annual National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) designer basketball auction. Coaches from the 65 teams represented in the Men's Division I NCAA Tournament will design and autograph special-edition collector basketballs. The balls will be on display in the DASANI Coaches Memorabilia store at DASANI Fest and are being auctioned off March 15-April 15 on eBay.

Retail Activation

In retail locations, authentic NCAA equipment displaying DASANI product will be featured along with soft-sided NCAA-themed coolers available with purchase of DASANI multi-packs. Stores will also feature point-of-sale pieces (POS) highlighting the brand's Sideline Reports with CBS Sportscasters Lesley Visser and Bonnie Bernstein. The POS shows a college basketball team on the sidelines cheering on team members during a game and plays off of DASANI's new tagline by using the phrase "Can't Live Without The Passion."

In addition, McDonald's locations in southwest Texas will feature NCAA and DASANI-themed posters and trayliners to highlight DASANI Fest and offer McDonald's salad and DASANI bottled water combos.

Through a state-of-the-art process called reverse-osmosis, DASANI bottled is purified and enhanced with minerals for a pure, fresh taste. DASANI, the number-two bottled water brand in the U.S., helps people to be their most vital selves and supports every water drinker's goal of living their best life.