This post is a response to Valeria’s post: Is there an opportunity to grow?

While reading through the blogs, I found this post very interesting. The title attracted my attention and I was also curious about how these huge and successful multinational companies come up with creative marketing campaigns to raise their sales. From her post, I learned how the “Share a Coke” campaign launched by Coca-Cola was a huge success in Australia and how they are applying the same idea to target at more markets.

This new Coca-Cola marketing campaign is also reaching out to young Chinese. I knew about the new packaging of Coke this summer through Weibo (the “Twitter” in China), when people are sharing pictures of Cokes with popular internet buzzwords printed on them. Even though Coca-Cola used to print people’s names on the bottle, and this strategy seems difficult to work out in the Chinese market due to the mass volume of people using the same last name. The company found a nicer way around in the end. By printing those nicknames that are broadly accepted by many young people, it creates a stronger physical and emotional connection with its customers. It also promotes the idea of happiness and sharing which the company is trying to communicate to its customers.

Relating to our marketing study, Coca-Cola comes in third in the world’s most valuable brands. Speaking of the perceived value, it’s relatively high comparing to its actual value, since it’s just a carbonated beverage. Coca-Cola has successfully built up a very strong brand name by connecting with its customers, inspiring the idea of happiness, creativity, passion, and involving in improving sustainability and being environmental friendly.

(Meaning: Left: A Man, Man 😛  Right: Foodie)