When you have a brand that is as recognized as Coca-Cola, it is hard to imagine anything other than that iconic Coca-Cola logo on its bottles. However, when Coca Cola introduced the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign, where consumers were able to buy coke bottles bearing their names, it propelled Coke’s sales by 2%, which is significant as Coca-Cola’s sales have been continuously declining for the past 11 years.
The reason why the campaign has been so successful is because with personalization, consumers feel like brands are personally reaching out to them, making them feel closer to the brand and product. I think that this strategy is great as individuality is so emphasized in this generation, and this marketing strategy is also relatively low cost, and yet, is very impactful. In addition, Coca-Cola also took advantage of the digital marketing channel as the campaign’s website lets visitors create their own customized virtual bottles, which generated more hype on social media. However, the concept of personalization is nothing new. In fact, I’ve noticed many businesses reach out to their customers through emails starting with a personalized “Dear name” rather than a general “Dear customer”. However, Coca-Cola takes it a step further by personalizing the actual product.
While this marketing campaign can not be replicated, it teaches other businesses a lesson as it highlights the importance of brand perception and customization, and how advertising and social media can be used to influence consumers’ behaviours and experience.