From Millennium Wheel to Coca-Cola London Eye

The London Eye was originally branded as 'Millennium Wheel' in 2000, part of the city's celebration of the turn of the century. After being sponsored by British Airways and then by EDF Energy, the London Eye (a Merlin Entertainments attraction) is now sponsored by Coca-Cola.

This change in corporate sponsorship means the Coca-Cola London Eye (as it's being called) glows red at night--the color of the soft drink marketer's iconic label. The sponsorship includes Coca-Cola branding inside each pod and on staff uniforms, ticket kiosks, etc.

Some critics are outraged about Coca-Cola sponsoring such a popular family attraction, worried about encouraging children to consume sugary beverages. Health advocates distributed free toothbrushes at the Eye's reopening on Saturday to call attention to nutrition issues and the ethics of this sponsorship, which runs for two years. What then?