5 Key Takeaways About Coca-Cola's New "Share A Coke" Campaign, According To Global VP Islam ElDessouky
Coca-Cola's iconic 'Share a Coke' campaign is back, but this time, it's reimagined for a new generation. Coke's Global VP of Creative, Islam ElDessouky, shared insights into what makes this iteration different from the last time they did it and why it's launching now. Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation.
1. Share a Coke is back, and it's all about connection
Coca-Cola's beloved campaign, which first launched in 2011, is returning after several years. But this time, it's been designed to foster real connections in an era when digital interactions dominate.
'We wanted to bring it back thinking… that this generation, despite having so many connection opportunities, actually complains a lot about feeling disconnected,' ElDessouky explains. 'This is a good invitation. It's a good reminder. Find the names of those who are close to you, your crew, your people, and use this as an opportunity to connect.'
2. This version is made for the digital age
When Coca-Cola first introduced 'Share a Coke,' social media was in its early stages. Today, sharing means something completely different, and the campaign has evolved to reflect that.
'In 2011, sharing was not what sharing is today,' says ElDessouky. 'Sharing today is ingrained in digital culture. Everything is shared—the article, the voice note, sending a message or DM on Instagram is a form of sharing.'
The new campaign embraces digital co-creation, giving consumers tools to personalise and expand on this concept of sharing.
3. Gen Z helped shape the campaign
Understanding Gen Z was crucial, and Coca-Cola used a hands on approach to involve them in the creative process.
'We like to really involve people, not just get data points and act on it." ElDessouky explains. "Yes, the starting point was that they feel disconnected. Then, as we started developing this, we would go to them with concepts, asking 'If you see this, what does it make you feel? Would you like to share a Coke with someone? Do you understand what Share A Coke means? Does it even mean anything to you?'"
This back-and-forth led to the creation of new features, like the Memory Maker, which allows users to generate personalized memes and videos featuring their friends. 'Our idea was simply to put the names [on the products], and we added nicknames and moments just to widen the spectrum. But they came up with this. They were like, hey, we use a lot of language to communicate: Memes is one of them, Films is one of them, Videos is one of them, Snapchat camera is actually a language that we use.'
4. Customisation is a key feature
Coca-Cola is making it easier than ever to find your name—or a friend's—on a bottle or can. And if you don't see it on store shelves, they've got you covered.
'We have a tool so that if you can't find your name, you can either create one for yourself or have a friend do it for you as a gift,' ElDessouky says. Additionally, Coca-Cola is setting up customization activations in select cities, allowing consumers to create personalized cans with the names that they want right then and there.
5. The brand Hopes for big, heartfelt moments
While Coca-Cola knows people will use the campaign in fun ways, they're also hoping it leads to deeper moments of connection.
'We would love to see proposals,' ElDessouky says. 'It's all about connection, right? Maybe rivals using it—like Eagles fans sharing a Coke with Chiefs fans. We would love to give it a megaphone, give it the spotlight and showcase it to everybody.'
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