The holy month of Ramadan is observed by 1.8Bn Muslims across the world. It’s a period when Muslims fast from dusk to dawn, only to break their fast with a meal called Iftar. But in 2023 almost 50% of Muslims didn’t have enough money to afford food. That means they will struggle to break their fast. As a brand that believes in equality, Coca-Cola wanted to create a way to ensure everyone could have access to Iftar, the fast-breaking meal.

Instead of just launching another commercial urging people to help, we turned our label into a common currency that unlocked a proper Iftar meal for someone in need. The mechanic worked across 60 countries to ensure the majority of the Muslim world had access to a meal, and built-off our target market’s buying behavior. The Currency Bottle added new value to the iconic Coca-Cola label. The simple creative idea worked from the shelf-back, establishing itself in prime real estate: our bottles. We also ensured last-mile delivery on the ground with a meal donation program through NGO partnerships.

We redesigned the iconic Coca-Cola label and transformed it into a real piece of currency. Its worth? A meal for someone who needs it. Which was unlocked through a ‘Buy One, Give One’ CTA. We introduced our currency through a social film that used macro shots to highlight the Currency Bottle's design elements, which borrowed from Islamic artwork and motifs. It featured golden flourishes, guilloche decorative borders, arches, and watermarks. The design was meticulously crafted for each market to reflect local nuances and respectfully encourage donations from the shelf. We used influencers, OOH and local activations to further amplify the label's message across countries and urge people to exchange the currency.

We gave real value to over 100Mn Coca-Cola bottles by converting our labels into a real currency. We spread the word to over 100Mn people through paid media, encouraging them to donate a meal this Ramadan. Our ‘Buy One, Give One’ program helped us provide more than 6Mn Iftar meals to the needy and supported more than 1000 farmer families, increasing brand sentiment by 1.7X (vs last year). Through our innovative packaging, distinct tone of voice and simple giving mechanic, we were able to achieve over 1Bn media impressions breaking through Ramadan clutter in 60 countries, while ensuring everyone had access to a proper Iftar. Coke was able to raise awareness and impact donations with a campaign that resonated with the target audience.