Beverage giants Coke Zero are on-board with the Karen Clarke-pioneered Youth View Awards (YVAs), which heads to the National Indoor Sports Arena on February 6, 2010.

"We're glad to support events that give youth not only a voice, but give youth a space in which they can enjoy themselves. Coke Zero believes in the vision of the Youth View Awards, and that's why we're on-board in such a big way," says Coca-Cola Country Manager Christopher Hardy.

The Youth View Awards was founded and is staged by event planner Karen Clarke, and since its inception in 2007, has caught on with the 14-24 age group, as well as with entertainers and entertainment insiders - both locally and internationally.

Known for having international entertainers and personalities performing and taking part in the event, this year's staging of the Youth View Awards will see fast-rising hip-hop stars the New Boyz and all-round pop star Teyana Taylor.

great progression

"Coke Zero is really very excited about the YVAs. It is a great progression for us, coming off the high of our exceptionally successful concert. This is our next step, and the event has our target market locked. The YVAs has such a hype surrounding it, the young people are enthralled about it. Just take a look at Facebook or Twitter. The Internet is abuzz with YVA and Coke Zero activity, and Coke Zero has a lot of plans to activate in the next two weeks that will take over the country," Hardy says.

He says a considerable amount of time and energy is spent by his team, mapping out ways to make his demographic happy and reiterated that "part of the reason why we are so successful is because we embraced our market and our culture for what it is. We are Jamaican to the core, and there's no doubt about that."