Coca-Cola has announced that all Coke Trademark brands will be united for the first time since 2007 in one global creative campaign: “Taste the Feeling”, marking a significant shift in its marketing strategy.
Coca-Cola Company has more than 500 sparkling and still brands, generating annual sales estimated at US$ 20 billion.
Marcos de Quinto, Chief Marketing Officer of Coca-Cola Company, said the integrated “Taste the Feeling” campaign would roll out in 220 countries around the world throughout 2016 through all TV commercials, digital, print, out-of-home and shopper materials.
An international network of 10 agencies has developed the “Taste the Feeling” work to fit the nuances of each recipient country, said de Quinto, who unveiled the “one brand” approach at a press conference in Dubai on Thursday.
The conference was in the presence of all Coca-Cola’s chief executives and directors, and attended by more than 70 journalists from European, Asian, African, and Middle Eastern countries.
“Taste the Feeling” is anchored in compelling visual storytelling through more than 100 images shot by noted fashion photographers Guy Aroch and Nacho Ricci, de Quinto added.
De Quinto also stated that the campaign would include a global music anthem and audio signature, inspired by the sounds of the experience of enjoying a Coca-Cola; the pop of the cap, the fizz, and ultimately the sounds of enjoyment – in addition to shareable and customizable interactive digital experience.
The strategy extends the equity and iconic appeal of the world’s No. 1 beverage brand “Coca-Cola, he said. It also underscores the company’s commitment to choice, offering consumers whichever Coca-Cola suits their taste, lifestyle and diet – with or without calories, with or without caffeine.
“Taste the Feeling” will feature universal storytelling with the product at the heart to reflect both the functional and emotional aspects of the Coca-Cola experience.
As for the shareable and customizable interactive digital experience, de Quinto said it is made up of different GIF scenes that reflect feelings associated with drinking Coca-Cola set to the “Taste the Feeling” anthem. The experience allows users to pull a GIF scene directly from the microsite, personalize the scene with real-time feelings, and share it on social platforms with #TasteTheFeeling.
From his part, Nathan Kalumbu – President of the Coca-Cola Company’s Eurasia & Africa Group – said the campaign would roll out in Europe next March, conveying multiple positive messages that fit the nuances of each recipient country in this continent.
“Taste the Feeling” will be available throughout 2016, to be proceeded by multiple campaigns for social responsibility aiming to spread moral and social values based on helping and loving each other as well as capturing happy moments, Kalumbu added.
For the Middle East region, “Taste the Feeling” will roll out by the beginning of next March, said Ghada Makady, Senior Public Affairs and Communications Manager for North & West Africa region at the Coca-Cola Company.
Coca-Cola Company is currently developing the campaign work to meet with the market requirements of each recipient country in the Middle East region, Makady added.
Makady stressed the importance of spreading this campaign in Egypt. It is a new cutting red tape campaign that will enable Egyptians to capture happy moments and to be more determined to face the ongoing challenges that haunt the region, she added.
Elsewhere, senior sources from the Coca-Cola Company told Amwal Al Ghad that Egypt enjoys a promising market attractive to foreign investments, having a 20 % share of Coca-Cola’s MENA investments.