In March this year, Coke Zero launched its Drinkable Ad campaign. The “first-of-its-kind drinkable marketing campaign,” began with a billboard that contained a giant Coke Zero contour bottle with a 1,372 metre straw that delivered real Coke Zero to passersby. Its catchcry? “You Don’t Know Zero ‘Til You’ve Tried it.”
The sampling ad campaign was a response to Coke’s understanding that many people claim they don’t like Coke Zero – even though they’ve never tasted it.
“We have done extensive consumer research and have shown that when people try Coke Zero, the majority of them convert to be loyal users. A lot of our [previous] advertising was great — but it wasn’t focused on the ‘try’ message,” Racquel Mason, VP of Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero at Coca-Cola North America, added.
Let’s not overlook the fact that Coke sales are declining. The campaign launched during the US basketball league’s, Final Four, and does seem to have achieved its aim. Coke Zero global sales volume grew by 6% in the second quarter (following the Final Four push), a 1% increase over its first quarter results.
Thework by Ogilvy & Mather New York also extends the drinkable ad idea to mobile phones. When a TV viewer watches the Coke Zero pouring ad on TV – and Shazam it – the ad will appear to pour Coke Zero into a glass on their smartphone. The viewer will then receive a coupon for a free 20-ounce (600ml) bottle redeemable at retailers like 7-Eleven, QuickTrip, Speedway and Domino’s.
Cleverly, the campaign includes a partnership with ESPN’s College Game Day college football pre-game show. The Game Day 2015 schedule kicks off on September 5, with the Alabama-Wisconsin game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before it tours the US. So the pouring ad is being promoted – and prefaced – by ten spots featuring ESPN personalities, some of which call on people to open the Shazam app on their phone and hold it near the ad.
Coke Zero’s 10433kg, 8 x 12 metre drinkable billboard will also make an appearance at a few of ESPN College Game Day campuses.
“ESPN College GameDay vividly conveys the excitement of being on campus before the big game, and a focal point for that excitement will be Section Zero, for those at the event. For all of those who are not in Section Zero, our ‘drinkable’ commercials make it fun to try the delicious, ice-cold refreshment of Coke Zero,” Ivan Pollard, senior vice president, connections and assets, Coca-Cola North America, noted.
“Thinking how fans consume college football on multiple screens at once, we worked hard to make our broadcast and digital experiences intertwine wonderfully to surprise and delight fans during ESPN College GameDay all the way through to watching the games themselves.”
