Coke Ambassadors Taking Social Media Old School With Around The World Trip

MediaPost Publications, October 22, 2009 — Giving new meaning to the term social media, Coca-Cola is enlisting a team of three young brand ambassadors to visit all 206 countries where the company's products are sold.

Dubbed "Expedition 206," the adventure throughout 2010 is expected to cover 150,000 miles in just 365 days. What are they expected to do at each destination? "Seek out what makes people happy and share their happiness and enthusiasm with the rest of the world."

Coca-Cola has selected a pool of nine potential ambassadors, from which consumers are now being asked to select three winners online at Expedition206.com.

Pop Artist

Meet the man with a nearly uncontainable design challenge: making Coke even bigger (and staying ahead of Pepsi).

Fast Company, October 1, 2009 — The image on the Webcam is grainy but unmistakable: a blond woman, likely in her thirties, steps up to a shiny silver soda-fountain machine at a fast-food restaurant in Atlanta and plants a fat kiss on its side. The moment is unscripted and, as far as the woman knows, unwitnessed by anyone except a girl who appears to be her daughter, busily filling her cup. If great design is all about creating a bond between your product and your customer, this is clearly some kind of mechanized Cyrano de Bergerac, brokering the ardor between a consumer and her Diet Cherry Coke.

The reason for this public display of affection? It might be the fountain's astounding array of choices, more than 100 different Coca-Cola variants, including exotic hybrids such as Minute Maid... continue reading

How Coke Is Targeting Black Consumers†

Q&A With Yolanda White, Assistant VP of African-American Marketing

Advertising Age, July 1, 2009 — Coca-Cola re-established a dedicated African-American marketing group in 2006. The beverage giant has spent the past few years testing programs and conducting market research. And in the first half of this year, those efforts have come to fruition, with four new campaigns for the Dasani and Coca-Cola brands.

“Cart Before the Horse” Marketing? Neigh!

By Fred Geyer

Prophet, May 1, 2009 — For all the great marketers and great marketing, we still see too many instances of what I call “cart before the horse” marketing. The cart, of course, is marketing tactics, while the horse is the need to meet critical customer needs. The result is strategies and initiatives that falter before the finish line.

They Pay for Cable, Music and Extra Bags. How About News?

New York Times, April 8, 2009 — Just a year ago, most media companies believed the formula for Internet success was to offer free content, build an audience and rake in advertising dollars. Now, with the recession battering advertising online, in print and on television, media executives are contemplating a tougher trick: making the consumer pay.

Warm and Fuzzy Makes a Comeback

New York Times, April 7, 2009 — IF music hath charm to soothe the savage breast, what can calm worried consumers during an economic crisis? Madison Avenue believes one answer is nostalgia.

Coca-Cola Deleting ‘Classic’ From Coke Label

New York Times, January 31, 2009 — After 24 years, one of the most famous blunders in marketing history is quietly coming to end. The Coca-Cola Company is dropping the “Classic” from its red labels in some Southeast regions, and the word will be gone from all of its packaging by the summer, the company said Friday.

The Difference Between Building a Business and Building a Brand†

Don't Confuse the Latter With Celebrity Index

Advertising Age, January 5, 2009 — Are you building a business? Or are you building a brand? Silly questions, you might be thinking. Naturally, you are trying to do both.

But that might be a mistake.

What's good for the business is not necessarily good for the brand. And vice versa.

BK Boxers Leads Pack of Worst Line Extensions†

Brandweek, December 13, 2008 — What do Burger King underwear, Kellogg's hip-hop street wear and Allstate Green insurance have in common? They all were voted among the worst brand extensions of 2008.

Earlier this month, TippingSprung polled 689 Brandweek readers and other marketing professionals, online, about this year's flurry of line extensions. Among the other duds: Coca-Cola's RPet clothing at Wal-Mart, Playboy energy drink and the Disney Sleeping Beauty executive fountain pens priced at up to $1,200.

You May Love the Logo, but It's a Dying Breed†

More-Subtle Images Pack Bigger Punch, Says Neuromarketing Study

Advertising Age, December 1, 2008 — As we are exposed to millions of messages in our lifetimes, does the logo retain its magic? Or are we caught up in a format that once worked but is out of date?