3 min read
Few marketing campaigns have ever stirred the same level of interest, controversy, and excitement as Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign.
As we take a step back into the pages of the past, let’s look into this riveting story.
LOCALIZING THE GLOBAL
Back in early 2011, the Coca-Cola Sydney office was facing challenges with brand engagement. Most notably among young folks.
Traditionally, The Coca-Cola Company used uniform, global marketing campaigns. However, the one-size-fits-all approach needed to be fixed.
Seeing this, the local marketing team was tasked with revitalizing the Coca-Cola brand.
The team famously proposed personalizing Coca-Cola labels with individual names. Personalizing a can or bottle of Coke to the individual.
They launched the new campaign in Australia nationwide on October 1st, 2011.
The team was able to put together 150 of Australia’s most popular names and place them on Coke products that included:
- Coca-Cola Classic
- Diet Coke
- Coke Zero bottles
The marketing campaign was named “Share a Coke.” And it includes a call to action encouraging sharing with named persons.
It proved largely successful in Australia and would lead to a broader implementation globally.
This marked a shift in focus to personalization in Coca-Cola’s marketing efforts.
STORIES AROUND THE GLOBE
After a successful launch in Australia, The Coca-Cola Company decided to launch the “Share a Coke” campaign in other markets.
In the summer of 2012, they launched the campaign:
- New Zealand
- Asian markets
- European countries
- African nations
Share a Coke would eventually reach 80 countries globally.
Each country featured locally popular names like:
- China: Li, Wang
- UK: Jack, Olivia
- US: James, Emily
The Share a Coke campaign eventually reached the US in the summer of 2014. It faced criticism in the US from people with unique/uncommon names who felt excluded.
In the UK, the campaign included “Mum” but not “Dad” in the bottles. This led to a public outcry and debate about gender bias.
VARIATIONS OF THE “SHARE A COKE” CAMPAIGN
Destinations
In 2014, the campaign ditched names in favor of famous landmarks. Coca-Cola introduced limited-edition bottles featuring landmarks and holiday destinations. These places included:
- The Eiffel Tower
- The Great Wall of China
- Bondi Beach
Lyrics
In 2016, the team mixed things up with a lyrical twist.
Coca-Cola incorporated popular song lyrics on bottle labels in the United States. Like “I’m walking on sunshine” and “We are the champions.”
Customization
Around 2015, The Coca-Cola Company addressed concerns about name exclusivity in the “Share a Coke” campaign.
The beverage giant launched an online customization platform.
The platform was helpful in many ways:
- Customers could create personalized Coca-Cola bottles with their names/messages
- The customization feature became very popular
- The traditional red and white label became a medium for personal expression
Selfie Bottle
By 2016, Share a Coke expanded to Israel with the “selfie bottle” innovation.
The bottle featured a camera attached to the bottle’s base. It was able to automatically take photos when tilted to 70 degrees.
It was designed to capture consumers while drinking a bottle of Coke. It helped Coca-Cola align with selfie culture and social media trends targeting younger audiences.
