By: Jay Moye | May 8, 2018
Coca-Cola Journey
Share a Coke and Share the Summer …
because an ice-cold Coke tastes best when shared together with friends, family and even strangers.
That’s the inclusive message behind the 2018 version of the hit “Share a Coke” campaign, which returns for its fifth consecutive summer with more beverages, packages, experiences, sharing opportunities – and a few surprises.
“‘Share a Coke’ has become a rite of summer for our fans,” said Jaideep Kibe, vice president, Coca-Cola Trademark, Coca-Cola North America. “The campaign’s annual return is a social marker on the calendar, as we welcome new adventures, new friendships and new memories. This year, we’re focusing on the role Coca-Cola plays in the special summer moments we share with others. We wanted to tap into the meaning behind shared experiences more so than just names.”
Several new innovations will reward fans for the simple act of sharing. For the first time, “Share a Coke” name labels on 20-oz. Coke bottles are stickers. Fans can peel off the stickers to reveal Coca-Cola’s Sip & Scan™ codes that instantly unlock chances to win prizes ranging from a free Coke, to amusement park passes, to baseball tickets.
“In years past, we’ve found that once the campaign ends, people want to hold on to a memory,” Kibe said. “Thanks to this technology, these stickers extend the memory with something people can not only attach to their clothes, phones and more – but also scan to possibly win special summer experiences to share with others.”
When “Share a Coke” first debuted in 2014, Americans flocked to stores to find a Coke bottle with their name on it. Over the years, the campaign has evolved and expanded, adding new names, song lyrics and more Coca-Cola flavors in more packages.
“That first year, it was all about discovery and introducing people to the idea that they could find their names – or the names of their friends or family members – on a Coke bottle,” recalls Saxon Seay, Coca-Cola brand manager. “But over the years, it has become more about the experiences and moments shared over a Coke.”
Initially, Coke’s social feeds were flooded with user-generated photos of fans’ personalized bottles. “But last summer we started to see more #ShareaCoke images and posts about shared moments with others,” Seay added.
That insight informed the team’s strategy for the 2018 campaign.
This program is not about the size and power of Coke,” Kibe said. “It’s about the intimacy and proximity of Coke, and the meaning behind every time you share a Coke.”
This summer marks the premiere of the Share Chair, an oversized armchair that doubles as a “shareable” vending machine. When two people sit together, personalized mini cans of Coca-Cola and Coke Zero Sugar are vended through the chair’s arms. A strategically positioned camera then captures the moment and provides fans with a photo and video of their experience to share on social media.
‘This program is not about the size and power of Coke. “It’s about the intimacy and proximity of Coke, and the meaning behind every time you share a Coke.’
The Share Chair debuted in Los Angeles during one of the U.S. stops of the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola and appears today – National Share a Coke Day – at a Share a Coke event in Atlanta. It will travel to . . . read full story on Coca-Cola Journey! >