Coca-Cola already celebrated success with a similar campaign 14 years ago. At that time, it replaced its iconic logo on bottles and cans with various names and nicknames. This allowed people to personalise their experience with refreshing drinks with an unmistakable taste. Now the campaign, which first became a global phenomenon in 2011, is back with an even greater focus on celebrating friendship and sharing real moments. It reflects Generation Z's desire for authentic experiences.
In a world where many things happen primarily online, the idea of "Share a Coca-Cola" offers new ways to foster friendships, interpersonal relationships and moments spent together. This goes hand in hand with young people's desire to strike a balance between digital and personal proximity these days. In fact, according to a representative Coca-Cola brand survey conducted this February by research agency Ipsos, only half of us are satisfied with how often we meet our close friends. The other half would like to see them more often but are prevented from doing so by a lack of free time due to work or school.
"Young people are in touch with their friends almost every day, but they see each other much less in person. The aim of our campaign is to remind us that our long-lasting memories are made when we meet our friends in real life, share our joys and sorrows together, and experience real moments of friendship," says Mária Drotárová, senior brand manager at Coca-Cola Czech Republic and Slovakia.
"When you give someone a personalised Coca-Cola can, you show them that you really care about them. There will be more than 140 different names and nicknames to choose from, so we believe that everyone will find their own," she adds.
The survey also reveals that everyone has at least one close friend, with more than half of people having two or three, but only a minority of respondents said they would currently have more than five close friends.
Coca-Cola's marketing director Jakub Loos will also talk about the new campaign in the next issue of Marketing & Media. "By allowing people to choose a product with the name of a loved one, we encourage them to meet in person," he says. In the interview, he discusses not only the campaign concept, but also current trends in marketing and the changing consumer behaviour of younger generations.
Bringing back the original successful campaign in a more modern concept will allow people to share personalised bottles and cans of Coca-Cola to appreciate the relationships they have with their loved ones. At the same time, these personalized moments set a new standard for how companies can meaningfully engage with their audiences and build lasting brand love.
The "Share a Coca-Cola" campaign embodies "Real Magic," Coca-Cola's global brand philosophy, which is rooted in the recognition that magic lies in unexpected moments of connection that elevate the everyday to the extraordinary. It highlights the joy of personal encounters while challenging us to leave the boundaries of the digital world and create lasting relationships with those we care about most, not only online but in real life.
Even one small gesture can express how much a person cares about others. Everyone can get involved in the campaign. Just find a bottle or can with your loved one's name or nickname on it in a shop and give it to them. Or you can create your own personalised Coca-Cola can online via the coca-cola.cz e-shop. It will be a symbol of shared experiences, whether it bears the name of your best friend or any other word that describes the friendship.
Coca-Cola has also created "The Memory Maker". Use the Coca-Cola website or app to upload photos of you and your friends, create your own video meme to share on social media, and have a lot of fun together.
"We want to remind people of the power of everyday moments, which are key in creating lasting friendships. The iconic 'Share a Coca-Cola' campaign celebrates the pure magic of real friendships. It's not just about sharing on social media, we're talking about real moments that people close to you experience together and "The Memory Maker" helps them immortalize them beautifully," adds Mária Drotárová to the campaign.
Coca-Cola will launch 100 million products on the Czech market as part of the campaign. Personalised bottles and cans with more than 140 custom names and nicknames will be available in stores from April this year. The app will also feature competitions for fans to win one of more than 4,000 valuable prizes focused on music and summer from April until the end of August.
Among other things, winners can look forward to four exclusive VIP packages for two that include a trip to the legendary Tomorrowland festival. In addition, the "Share a Coca-Cola" campaign in the Czech Republic will be supported by TV advertising, an outdoor campaign, other online activities and accompanying events.
Source: mam.cz