Coca-Cola: Share a Coke

Brand

Coca-Cola

Market

Global

Year

2011

Category

Packaging

Agency or team

Ogilvy Sydney

Channels

Packaging, outdoor, kiosks, social

The context

In Australia, about half of teenagers and young adults hadn’t had a Coke in the past month. The brand felt big and impersonal to a generation that valued self-expression.

The move

Ogilvy Sydney printed the 150 most popular Australian first names on bottles in the iconic script, with the line “Share a Coke with…”. Kiosks let people print custom names, and social sharing did the rest.

How it was executed

1. Replaced the logo on bottles with the 150 most popular first names, set in the brand’s script so it stayed recognisable.
2. Set up kiosks where people could print personalised cans for friends.
3. Encouraged people to hunt for names, share bottles and post photos, turning shelves into a game.

Coca-Cola replaced its own logo with 150 first names. The pack became the message, and the campaign spread to more than 80 countries.

What happened Reported facts

Coca-Cola reported a 7% increase in young-adult consumption in Australia during the campaign. In the US in 2014, the campaign was credited with the first rise in Coke sales in more than a decade, a little over 2% according to reports in The Wall Street Journal.

Why it worked Maer’s analysis

The pack became the media and the product became a gift. Every share was an ad, and because the script stayed, the brand was never lost.

What to take from it Maer’s analysis

1. 01The pack can be the media plan.
2. 02Personalisation works when it’s instantly recognisable and easy to share.
3. 03Small changes to a strong asset beat a new asset.

Where Maer applies this

The same thinking runs through these brand templates:

Sources: Coca-Cola Journey; The Wall Street Journal (2014). Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Coca-Cola.