If you were roped into buying a Coke this summer because you or your friends found their name on a bottle, you just helped contribute to Cokes first sales increase in over a decade. The “Share A Coke” campaign has been a great success for the soft drink giant, doing more for the company than Santa Claus and stupid polar bears could ever dream. From The Wall Street Journal:
Coca Cola Co.’s carbonated soft-drink sales in the U.S. have risen more than 2% after the world’s most-famous beverage brand began labeling Coke, Diet Coke and Coke Zero this summer with names of individuals, from Aaron to Sarah to Zach.
The labels—which also included warm-and-fuzzy terms like “Friends,” “BFF,” and “Family”—were launched in the U.S. in June.
The idea was to get consumers to buy personalized bottles and cans not just for themselves but also for friends and family. The “Share a Coke” campaign has been such a hit that, for at least a few months, it reversed a decadelong decline in U.S. Coke consumption. That has provided a welcome lift for the beverage giant, which is trying to combat concerns over obesity and artificial sweeteners by hiking its global advertising budget by $1 billion over the next three years, up from $3.3 billion in 2013.
See, we have something out there to combat the troubles associated with obesity, diabetes, and artificial sweeteners: advertising dollars. Sweet, sweet advertising dollars.
Not to mention all the free advertising that Coke got from people sharing their personalized Coke bottles on social media and articles like this one. It’s a big cycle that every company dreams they can take advantage of from time to time. Now I expect my gift basket in the mail, Coca-Cola. Or at least a nice check made out to “cash.” I’m corrupt as hell and won’t apologize for it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUzPwIP9BqE
(Via The Verge / The Wall Street Journal)