My favorite ad, or rather, series of ads, are Coca-Cola’s ad’s centered around sharing a Coke with someone. This idea originated in the 1971 ‘Hilltop’ ad, in which a diverse group of people are singing on a hill that they’d “like to buy the world a Coke.” This ad established Coke as a brand that transcended any group identity, and could be shared by everyone. It was simple, and capitalized on the fame of the song “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” by the New Seekers. I think this ad appealed to people because it shows you that you can have something in common with so many other people around the world simply by enjoying the same beverage.
I also think this ad established a foundation for future Coke ads. For example, the ‘Share a Coke with’ campaign has run for several years, and builds on the foundation of the ‘Hilltop’ ad. Coke is the brand for everyone, and it is so ubiquitous that every time you have a Coke, you’re sharing it with someone else around the world. Initially, this campaign just started with first names on cans and bottles of Coke, then expanded into more general terms like ‘dude’, ‘mate’, and ‘superstar.’ The campaign also tied in with sports by using sports nicknames like ‘MVP’ and ‘Champ’, as well as football team logos. While the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign didn’t explicitly reference the 1971 campaign, having consistent themes across 50 years is what makes Coke such a recognizable brand.
I think that this is a good example of an effective ad campaign. My family (mainly my mom) has always been Pepsi drinkers but with the introduction of the names on the bottles, my family started drinking Coke as well. When my mom sees a bottle with a family member’s name, she is compelled to buy it.
I definitely agree that Coca-Cola has set itself up for a strong marketing campaign. Coke’s whole existence embraces its perfect fit for every individual. They have adapted to include many different groups of individuals, while also embracing their very “American” roots. I think another aspect that has made Coca-Cola appear adaptable and made for all is their use of many mediums to advertise. They use music and the polar bear and team logos that consumers can associate with the brand, so these images will always be representative of the brand, even if the company isn’t actively using it.
I agree with Sarah too. Even though I don’t really like coke that much, whenever I see a bottle with my name or something fun on the bottle, I am always compelled to buy it, just for the bottle because its a really cool way of incorporating the customers into the product itself.
I agree, I think that Coke has a very strong brand and great marketing team. I remember when I was younger and they brought back the “share a coke with” campaign my little brother always wanted to buy the Coke with his name on it. I think that Coke is a great example of a company that really knows how to get their product out there and in people’s minds through their various ads.
I agree that the marketing team for Coke is amazing, and they have managed to get entire regions to call soda coke so they must be doing something right. I think think that their product is so universal that having a campaign like “share a coke with” actually works and it worked really well for them. Though i was unable to ever find my own name, every time i saw I saw the name of someone i knew I would send them a picture. Which is more free marketing for Coke.
I think the share a coke ad campaign was initially really good, but personally I feel like they’ve pushed it too far. There’s only so much that can be done with an ad campaign before it just becomes tiring, and at this point that campaign is really pushing it.
Coca-Cola is an excellent example of effective advertising. I first thought of the Share a Coke campaign when reading your post, and did not even think of their work in the 70s. The Share a Coke idea is clearly excellent, however, as it entices people with things they are familiar with, peoples names. I have certainly seen friends buy cokes over the years due to their name being on the bottle, or even just finding a name to be somewhat comical for whatever reason.