Share a coke with…

The “Share A Coke” program made a return this summer, but this time with a huge focus on mobile and social media, all based on consumer engagement from the campaign last summer.

Share a Coke first launched last summer with Coca-Cola, Coke Zero and Diet Coke cans that were personalized with 250 names. This year, Coca-Cola has upped the ante by featuring up to 1,000 personalized bottles and adding a mobile optimized website, a digital application for tracking down bottles with specific names, social video and digital content.

“After the overwhelming popularity of Share a Coke last year, this year we’ve made it bigger and better,” said Coca-Cola brand director Bobby Brittain in an interview recently. “Not only are there more names, but we’ve made it even easier for people to use their mobiles to be part of the campaign.”

But are all of the fuss, added time and expense worth it? As I was getting my haircut last week several of the stylists were talking about the promotion. “I always drink Pepsi, but since they’ve had these new bottles out I’ve been buying Coke trying to find my name or a friends name.” Sure, that’s only one consumer. But take a look at your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds and see how many of your friends and followers are posting their Coke bottles with their name on it.

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