The challenge we faced when it came to creating branded content to tell the story of how well Coke goes together with meals has less to do with the state of branded content in the US in general, and much more to do with the state of branded foodie content in the US. Branded cooking and foodie content is everywhere here. Dominated by 'celebrity chefs' (how’s that for an oxymoron?) branded foodie content has taken over American popular culture. (In fact, most Americans today spend more time watching content about food than they actually do cooking food.) With all this competition, we wanted to play by new rules. We wanted a scrappier alternative. One that circumvented the two hallmarks of branded foodie content today – celebrity chefs and paid media. And gave consumers a chance to become part of the dialogue.

Our “media” strategy was actually a content strategy. Rather than driving people to content with paid advertising, we’re seeking to create a sustainable content property that thrives in an environment where 179 million US viewers already spend more than 15 hours a month– YouTube and online video (per comScore). We noticed that foodie content seems to fall into two extremes. Either low-fi and homemade. Or super-high end featuring celebrity chefs making 'showcase' food for big brand sponsors. So we sought to fill the gap with content that is more human, more episodic, and ultimately about much more than just food.

Well, we’re really just getting started. Only two episodes have aired so far over the course of the last three months, with more planned for this year. But the initial response has been encouraging. The videos have gotten 15,000 views and are a strong performer in the new HUNGRY channel lineup. Building a following for the adventures of the Fung brothers, their folding table and their cooler full of Cokes will take continuity and time. But what’s most heartening isn’t so much the scale of the response as the nature of it. We seem to have struck the right chord. In today’s world, the brands that win in the long run are the brands that create value in the world that is greater than just the stuff they sell. Coke’s mission is to propagate happiness everywhere. The comments we’re getting back from the community say we’ve created food content that tells a story that’s 'richer' than just food.