40M McDonald’s cups will feature singer Andra Day in May

ATLANTA — Andra Day wants to inspire people to rise up while drinking a Coke.

The Grammy-nominated singer’s image and lyrics from her standout single “Rise Up” will appear exclusively on 40 million Coca-Cola cups at select McDonald’s throughout the country, Coke officials told The Associated Press on Monday. Day’s appearance on the red-and-white cups is an extension of the recently launched “Share a Cup and a Song” lyrics program.

The cups will be available May 2.

“I really hope this gives people a simple reminder to persevere,” Day said. “That’s what the song is all about. That’s why I like this Coke campaign, because it makes you inspire community. I hope people are able to see the encouraging stories through this.”

Purchasers of the cups can also view the short film documentary “I Rise,” inspired by Day’s single “Rise Up.” The film can be watched on a cellular device after scanning a cup using Shazam’s new image recognition technology.

The film features four African-American women, showcasing the impact they’re making in their communities.

Customers who purchase the Coca-Cola products at McDonald’s will also qualify through the “I’ll Rise 365 Sweepstakes” for a chance to see Day perform at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans in June.

“Andra was an easy choice because she’s an amazing talent,” said Umut Ozaydinli of Deviant Ventures, a marketing agency for Coca-Cola. “Her song ‘Rise Up’ has all the elements of an anthem. This is a great partnership with this great artist and these brands. She’s going to be an artist to remember for years to come.”

Ozaydinli said Day will be the first music artist to appear on a Coca-Cola cup during the company’s partnership with McDonald’s.

Day was paired with Serena Williams in a Beats by Dr. Dre commercial, has appeared in an Apple commercial with Stevie Wonder, performed at the White House and was featured in ESPN’s recent Black History Month special. She received several Grammy nominations and performed at the awards show earlier this year.

Day will appear on the cover of Essence magazine’s May 13 issue.

“I think gratitude is a big thing,” she said. “It puts you in a place where you’re humble. It’s not just you putting all this together. I give credit to my team. I have dedicated people from my label, my fans and people at these companies that believe in me.”

Warner Bros. Records executive Lori Feldman said more brands are gravitating toward Day because of the singer’s talented voice, humble character and positively strong messages in her songs. Feldman and Ozaydinli played instrumental roles in creating the partnership between Day, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.

“She puts greatness out there and receives it back from people,” said Feldman, the executive VP of brand partnerships and creative synch licensing at the label. “When people go to her shows or see her on television, it’s an empowering moment.”