Radio and Audio > Innovation in Radio & Audio

I SEE COKE

VMLY&R COMMERCE, New York / COCA-COLA / 2023

Awards:

Silver Cannes Lions
CampaignCampaign(opens in a new tab)
Supporting Content
Case Film
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Overview

Credits

Overview

Write a short summary of what happens in the radio or audio work.

"I See Coke"

A built-in Alexa skill that puts Coca-Cola on viewers’ lips every time it pops up on screen, turning over 100 years of product placement in movies and TV shows into an interactive shoppable experience.

1. Just spot Coke on any movie or TV show

2. Say "ALEXA, I SEE COKE"

3. Alexa will reply: "WHERE DO YOU SEE IT?"

4. Say the name of the movie

5. Alexa will have a cheeky reply related to the movie and send a promo code to your registered email to purchase any Coca-Cola product with a 50% discount through e-retailer (Nana)

Rather than shoving more ads down people's throats, Coke decided to reward them while watching the content they already loved.

Translation. Provide a full English translation of any audio.

N/A

Background:

Coke is a global giant, yet in KSA it suffers with lower consideration and market share than Pepsi. While the basics of marketing such as price, distribution and product are all taken care of, the brand struggles to be loved and appreciated as much as the competition.

With that in mind, Coke wanted to find a way to break through the “blue wall” while getting closer to consumers in the Kingdom. The goal was finding a point-of-differentiation that could trigger brand closeness, naturally leading to sales.

To succeed. Coke would have to truly understand how shoppers behave not only when they shop for drinks, but also when no shelves are in sight and yet the cravings appear.

The challenge laid in devising an experience that could help Coke infiltrate culture and merge buying and consumption behaviors, ultimately making consumers crave a coke when they would usually choose Pepsi.

Describe the Impact:

Pepsi might have arrived first to the Saudi Arabia Market and be first on marketing media spend,

but by capitalizing on 100+ years of big screen placements, Coke was first:

FIRST to innovate and convert existing product placement into direct sales

A successful commerce unlock, with a record high 96% offer redemption,

when average trial and coupon redemption in the region hardly ever surpass 30%

FIRST on the lips (literally)

Coca-Cola became the most voice-mentioned FMCG brand to Alexa

and “I See Coke” became the 3rd most engaged skill overall on Amazon.

FIRST on Awareness

By the first week of the activation, Coca-Cola (Coke) had increased social mentions by 237% vs the rest of Q1 2023, and it surpassed organic social engagement and sentiment of Pepsi in the region.

FIRST on Reach

“I see Coke” content reached 2.9 MM people, 33% above benchmark,

with View Through Rate doubling figures.

Please outline the innovative elements of the work

While using voice command through Alexa is not a novelty, applying the technology to disrupt the shopper journey and create a competitive advantage to a brand is. The innovative use of Alexa and data allowed Coca-Cola to connect with potential consumers through an unexpected channel. It created an interactive experience that helped the brand to initiate a conversation with prospective shoppers, driving conversion from their preferred choice, purchase and consumption ritual. I see Coke helped turning passive content viewing into an active engagement opportunity.

Is there any cultural context that would help the jury understand how this work was perceived by people in the country where it ran?

Pepsi has always been a firm favorite in the Middle East. And this preference and leadership is due to both cultural and commercial factors, that led to the brand and consumers to get closer and ‘love’ each other. “Sales of Pepsi's products have traditionally been stronger in the region, due in part to an Arab League-imposed boycott on Coca-Cola in 1967/68, which began when the firm decided to open a bottling plant in Israel. The freeze on Coke sales did not end until 1991.For many years its major rival Pepsico Inc. --not on the blacklist--enjoyed almost unchallenged dominance throughout the Arab world.

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