Share a Coke

“Share a Coke” campaign by The Coca-Cola Company:

Background:

Coca-Cola launched the “Share a Coke” campaign in Australia in 2011. The soft drink behemoth hoped to reverse declining sales and reconnect with younger consumers who were turning to healthier beverage options. The Coca-Cola logo on bottles and cans was replaced with popular Australian names and phrases as part of the campaign..

Strategy and Execution:

1. Personalization: The campaign emphasised personalization in order to establish an emotional connection with consumers. Coca-Cola has replaced its iconic logo with 150 popular Australian names, allowing customers to find and share bottles with their own or friends’ and family’s names.
2. Digital Engagement: To amplify the campaign, Coca-Cola launched a dedicated website where consumers could create virtual custom Coke bottles to share on social media. The website also listed locations where you could find bottles with specific names.
3. Social Media Integration: The campaign made extensive use of social media. Coca-Cola encouraged customers to use the hashtag #ShareACoke to share photos of themselves with personalised bottles. The company replied to social media posts, which increased engagement and sharing.
4. Experiential Marketing: Coca-Cola installed personalised kiosks and vending machines throughout the country, allowing customers to customise their Coke bottles on the spot. This experiential component generated excitement and encouraged word-of-mouth promotion.

Results:

The “Share a Coke” campaign was a huge success and created a lot of buzz:

1. Increased Sales: Following the campaign launch, Coca-Cola experienced a 7% increase in sales in Australia, which was significant given the declining trend in soda consumption at the time.

2. Social Media Engagement: The campaign elicited a lot of social media interaction and user-generated content. More than 250,000 photos of personalised Coke bottles were shared on social media in the first year.

3. Positive Brand Perception: The campaign was well received by consumers, particularly younger demographics, who felt a personal connection to the brand. It aided in the transformation of Coca-Cola into a nostalgic and inclusive brand.

4. Global Expansion: Due to the campaign’s success in Australia, Coca-Cola decided to expand it globally. The campaign was adapted for different markets, including local names and phrases, and was replicated in over 80 countries.

Lessons Discovered:

1. Emotional Connection and Personalization: By personalising their product, Coca-Cola tapped into consumers’ desire for individuality and connection, resulting in increased engagement and brand loyalty.

2. Integrated Digital and Experiential Approach: The campaign successfully combined digital and experiential marketing tactics to create a multidimensional and interactive brand experience that increased consumer engagement and sharing.

3. User-Generated Content: By encouraging consumers to share user-generated content, the brand gained organic reach and powerful word-of-mouth promotion.

4. Cultural Relevance: A key factor in the campaign’s success was its adaptation to local cultures and preferences. The use of popular names and phrases unique to each market created a sense of familiarity.

The “Share a Coke” campaign exemplifies how personalization, digital engagement, experiential marketing, and social media integration can be used to revitalise a brand, engage consumers, and achieve significant results.