Following its launch in Paris this month, the Coca-Cola Company’s first global tagline had a special unveiling in Hong Kong for the Asia Pacific market.
In a multi-million-dollar campaign combining both emotional and functional marketing strategies, the tagline, “Taste the feeling” is being rolled out across all Coke brands, says Coca-Cola Company chief marketing officer Marcos de Quinto. In the “one-brand” strategy, the tagline covers Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Light/Diet Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, and Coca-Cola Life.
He says it is a move away from multiple brand campaigns to one single iconic campaign that celebrates both the product and the brand. The campaign will use universal storytelling and everyday moments to connect with consumers internationally, using 10 television commercials, more than 100 campaign images, a new visual identity system, a new music anthem and audio signature, and a shareable and customisable interactive digital experience.
Brand fundamentals such as the Spenserian script, the red disc and the contoured bottle – with a modern take – anchor the creative campaign, which features real moments in consumers’ lives.
“Coca-Cola takes centre stage in every piece of emotional product communication,” says Rodolfo Echeverria, the company’s vice-president of global creative, connections and digital. “The universal moments and storytelling depicted in the campaign were created to resonate with our consumers globally.”
Music plays a key role. A song produced by Swedish artist and producer Avicii and featuring singer Conrad Sewell serves as the campaign anthem, and the tagline is anchored in visual storytelling through more than 100 images shot by fashion photographers Guy Aroch and Nacho Ricci.
All Coca‑Cola brandings will now follow the same style, with different colours to distinguish each variant.
This move comes as the company, which has more than 500 sparkling and still brands, has ratcheted up its marketing spend for lower and no-sugar colas. The Atlanta-based company is battling currency changes and declining soda consumption by trimming $3 billion in annual expenses and ploughing some of the savings back into increased marketing and developing new products. The company’s portfolio features $20 billion brands, making it the largest beverage company in the world.
Smaller beverage containers and a revamped bottling system have been introduced to also help improve profitability.
For growth, the company is looking beyond its traditional beverages into ready-to-drink coffees as well as juices and juice drinks.
