Coca-Cola will replace the names printed on pack this summer with song lyrics, as part of a new phase of its Share a Coke campaign.
From mid-April, more than 70 different lines from well-known songs will feature on 8oz glass bottles, 12oz cans, 7.5oz mini-cans, 20oz bottles, and both 1.25 and 2 litre bottles across all four key Coca-Cola variants – Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Coca-Cola Life.
They include classics such as “lean on me” and “we are the champions”, alongside modern favourites including “a moment like this” and “we never go out of style.
There will also be a selection of lines from Coca-Cola adverts of past and present, including “I’d like to buy the world a Coke”, “just for the taste of it” and, in reference to the brand’s newly unveiled music anthem, “taste the feeling”.
The Share a Coke and a Song initiative signals a major evolution for one of the company’s most successful US campaigns ever, Coca-Cola said, helping to capture a moment of enjoyment and reflect Coke’s brand values of optimism, refreshment and inclusion.
“We’re proud of the success of Share a Coke over the last two years,” said Racquel Harris Mason, vice president Coca-Cola/Coke Zero for Coca-Cola North America. “We’ve seen incredible enthusiasm from consumers who love the campaign’s personal touch, and we wanted to push ourselves to innovate and provide our fans with new experiences. Evolving the programme to focus on lyrics creates an amazing opportunity for people to share special moments, sentiments and a Coca-Cola with people they care about.”
Joe Belliotti, head of global music marketing for Coca-Cola North America, added: “Music is a universal language. Lyrics can explain how we feel and what we want to say when we can’t find the words ourselves. The art of sharing music to express feelings for someone special goes back to creating mixtapes as a kid, which later evolved to mix CDs and now playlists… that behaviour hasn’t changed. We wanted to find a way to take this idea to Share a Coke.”
Belliotti said that Coca-Cola China takes the credit for successfully introducing the Share a Coke and a Song concept in 2014. The wider Share a Coke campaign, which has since rolled out into more than 70 markets and includes the printing of some of the world’s most popular given names on pack, was first trialled in Australia in 2011.
Other lyrics featured as part of the debut collection of Share a Coke and a Song include “you belong with me”, “I’m your biggest fan” and “I’m proud to be an American”. They span a broad range of emotions including love, victory, motivation and even flirtation, Coca-Cola revealed.
“This isn’t about sharing a Coke and your favourite song… we didn’t focus on greatest hits or trending tracks,” Belliotti continued. “We picked lyrics that inspire connection. Our goal was to create a list that appeals to diverse tastes, so every music fan can feel there’s at least one lyric that speaks to them. We ended up with a cross-section of universal songs that express a range of positive sentiments.”
Lines used on pack will reflect each variant’s personality and fan base, the company claimed, and the core collection of songs will be expanded to include location-specific and customer-centric tracks in some regions.
From 18 April, customers will also be able to choose from a list of lyrics to customise bottles and access digital images to share on social media. Through its Share a Coke website, Coca-Cola will also continue to sell 8oz glass bottles and six-packs of Coca-Cola customised with names and inspiring messages – including, for the first time, customised packs of Diet Coke and Coke Zero.
“We’re creating an entirely new and different way to connect with music through our packaging,” Belliotti said. “It will be interesting to see this campaign trigger memories of songs fans may have forgotten as well as help them discover new favourites.”
Share a Coke and a Song will be supported by a full advertising and marketing campaign, with music-themed TV and cinema adverts, social and digital activations, and a summer-long experiential tour of major music events. Pop star Jason Derulo will serve as a brand ambassador for the programme.
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