How to be Inspired by the Share a Coke Campaign

Initial Situation

At the beginning of 2010, Coca Cola noticed that it was becoming less liked by the young generation, Y and Millennials. The company, known for its classic logo and sweetened carbonated beverage, was noticing a decline in sales. At this time, more and more studies were coming out linking soft drinks to health issues such as diabetes and obesity.

Coca Cola did not really have a choice but to find a connection with young people so as not to continue spiraling down. At the very least they had to improve their image. The very first "Share a Coke" campaign was launched in Kangaroos before being launched in more than 80 countries. The firm Ogilvy Australia is the force behind this remarkable campaign.

Creating the first campaign in Australia

The Australian market was tested first. Following the Ogilvy’s direction, Coca Cola removed its name and replaced it with the 150 most popular first names in the Oceanic country. It was also the first time that this multinational company altered its logo to this extent. After this change, people started coming across bottles labeled "Share a Coke with…" a popular first name, or with the words like friend, mom or lover. This was a direct target by the campaign! It did, however, take a lot of time for the Australian team to convince the directors of Coca Cola to do this. In the end, it was a big help that came with risks.

In total, thousands of hours were spent planning the campaign, including several on the exact color to use and where to print the words or names on the cans. A new font was also created to meet marketing requirements. To reach as many people as possible, the Share a Coke campaign was multi-channeled: social media, YouTube, TV, newspaper, and billboard. The results were a significant increase in sales. Social media had the largest impact with a surge of traffic on Facebook and Twitter.

Global Success

As mentioned above, the Share a Coke campaign was launched in more than 80 countries. Coca Cola made sure they had a strong presence on the web and were surrounded by well-known influencers. Sales in the United States were also up. Thanks to the creativity and success of the campaign created by Ogilvy Australia, Coca Cola has received several awards in advertising and design including 7 Cannes Lions awards and the Campaign of the Year award by Mumbrella.

But what made the difference? First of all, Coca Cola bet on the idea that everyone feels unique including the younger generations. In addition to discovering cans bearing your name, you could also customize and print on the bottles. Then, you could share your experience on social media under the idea that you were the center of attention, the can be an accessory. In addition, the Share a Coke slogan was simple, precise and positive. Isn’t it nice to share a refreshing drink with someone you love? It also implies that there is not only just one can of Coke but many for everyone.

The Share a Coke campaign will probably be back in 2019 despite losing momentum. Several variations of the original campaign have taken place since its launch. For example, the musical pieces that could be downloaded or the summer adaptation "Share An Iced Cold Coke" of 2017. One of the most popular variations in the last 10 years was called "Bring Out the 007 in You", a promotional campaign related to the James Bond Skyfall movie. During this campaign, people were asked to complete a special mission through the Antwerp train station.

Conclusion

In short, unlike other big names that have become extinct or poorly adapted to the era of social networks, Coca Cola has shown us that it still has great commercial and advertising power. Some even think that the image of Santa Claus today is a creation of American multinationalism! It may be hard to stand out when you do not have a marketing department or several million dollars in our pocket, but just remember that it is imperative to know your target customers. In Coca Cola’s case, it focused on young people’s desire to share and be unique. Which is when they dared to be out of the ordinary erasing their own name for yours!