UMN's Plans Book for Coca-Cola

TOGETHER

We are Chariot, a communications company that propels brands with high–impact marketing solutions. We act as the vehicle, turning goals into reality and ideas into market share. We will guide you on the journey to brand leadership. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

ExEcuTivE SummaRy 1

ExEcuTivE SummaRy

Since Dr. John Stith-Pemberton first bottled his classic recipe in 1886, Coca-Cola has enjoyed overwhelming success. However, Coca-Cola is losing its foothold in the Mil-lennial market. Chariot found this is due not only to the proliferation of new bever-age brands, but also because Millennials do not see Coca-Cola as their beverage. They view it as beverage of their parent’s generation. While Coca-Cola is an accepted brand it is not an insisted brand. They do not consider Coca-Cola as relevant to their lifestyles and this lack of connection contributes to share decline.

This is about to change.

Through extensive research, we uncovered Six Truths about Coca-Cola and Six Truths about Millennials. These truths pinpoint problems and opportunities for connecting with Millennials, and guide our strategies to meet the Coca-Cola brand health and consumption objectives. We identified three Millennial segments repre-senting the best opportunity for Coca-Cola. These segments, the Sparkling Social-ites, Connected Caffeinators, and Busy Buddies, represent more than 75 percent of Coca-Cola consumption among Millennials.

Our research revealed two key insights that stand apart from all others. First, Millennials value their experiences with friends above all else. Second, no other beverage is better suited to and readily accepted in these social experiences than Coca-Cola. These insights fueled the creation of a strategy unique to the Coca-Cola brand, and provide a platform for a new and exciting campaign. Our strategy: Coke is an uplifting part of your favorite shared experiences. This strategy has led us to executions and media that present the Coca-Cola brand to Millennials in compelling and engaging ways. We use new technology and new media to further excite Millennials and energize the Coca-Cola brand.

Our executions seamlessly integrate into Millennials’ lives through what we call “connections.” These connections eliminate traditional communication silos. Our ad-vertising, media, public relations, event marketing, cause branding, and retail activation operate in unison to provide Millennials social value and make Coca-Cola a central part of their lives.

Our points of connection establish an uplifting brand relationship between Millen-nials and Coca-Cola. Through this relationship, Coca-Cola will transition from an accepted brand to an insisted brand.

This makes the Coke Side of Life an even better place to be.

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ReseaRChGet smaRt befoRe you staRt

We set out to learn as much as possible about Millennials and the sparkling1 beverage industry. We established the following objectives:

•Pinpoint how Millennials2 live and what inspires them

•Discover the intricacies of Millennials’ multicultural demographics, lifestyles, and beliefs

•Understand Millennials’ attitudes towards the Coca–Cola brand, how Coca–Cola fits into their lives, and what opportunities exist to accelerate brand connection

•Identify brands best connecting with Millennials and understand their communication approaches

Chariot conducted extensive secondary and primary studies to meet our research objectives. In doing so, we:

Secondary•Analyzed more than 500 articles and studies focusing on Millennials

•Researched Websites that influence our target market

•Monitored online forums and message boards to track target preferences

•Reviewed electronic databases, trade publications, scholarly journals, and popular publications regarding the sparkling beverage industry

Primary•Administered more than 1000 interactive surveys across 38 states to gain insight into our target’s behaviors and interests about beverages

•Conducted more than 20 focus groups to understand Millennials’ lifestyles, beliefs, and language relating to beverages

•Conducted Coca–Cola Socialization Tests by providing one Millennial group Coca–Cola and omitting it from another. We observed a marked increase in interaction during the Coca–Cola sessions

•Employed projective techniques to uncover deeper feeling towards Coca–Cola including: Facebook profiles, yearbook entries, and collages

•Interviewed AAF Latino Marketing Conference keynote speaker Luis Fitch, Creative Director of UNO

•Conducted in–person interview (New York) with MTV Vice President of Marketing and MTV New Business Development Executive

•Conducted in–person interview (Boston) with Executives at Cone Inc.

•Pre–tested our strategy and advertising

1On 2/14/2007 Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO E. Neville Isdell made news by referring to the carbonated and non-carbonated beverage categories as “sparkling” and “still.” This is the language we will use going forward. 2Millennials refers to our target, 13-24 year-olds. Though also commonly known as Gen Y and Echo Boomers, we will use the term Millennials throughout the book to refer to our target.

Key findinGsChariot has summarized the most significant discoveries of our research. These findings guide our strategy and creative executions.

Behaviors and Personalities: It is all about socialization•Millennials have an innate need to belong and be accepted by their peer groups

•Their lives revolve around socialization. Times of social connection are the best moments of Millennials’ lives

•Youth are constantly connected to their friends through technology

•Millennials expect and demand instant gratification

Millennials’ Perceptions of Coca–Cola •Coca–Cola is the rare brand with 100 percent awareness and trial; everyone has a point of view about Coca–Cola

•Coca–Cola is the beverage of choice at social gatherings

•Coca–Cola is viewed as a traditional beverage, and one that has never been exclusively Millennials’

•Coca–Cola is an accepted brand but is not an insisted brand

Marketing to Millennials•Millennials are targeted more than any other group

•Multicultural youth do not want to be segmented or spoken to separately

•Millennials are brand nomads

•Millennials value socially responsible brands

•Millennials are communication savvy and reject advertising that does not speak directly to them

“People have an innate urge to connect with other people... they are wired to want to

connect with others.” Marc Andreessen Founder, Netscape

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Vanessa Hambidge–Vice President of MarketingRyan Spicer–New Business Development ExecutiveSince its inception, no company has more closely studied youth culture than MTV. They have a deep connection with Millennials and continuously reinvent themselves to stay relevant. We visited their offices to learn from and better understand MTV’s insights about our target. From our interview we uncovered five imperatives to consider when marketing to Millennials:

•Media Touch Points: know their media habits and be where they are

•Respect and Reflect: respect the way they see themselves and reflect their experiences

•Technology: Millennials are tech savvy and know how to use various platforms to get entertainment when, where, and how they want

•Engagement: every impression should drive the consumer to be engaged on another platform

•Monitoring: it is vital to constantly monitor this market because of its fickle viewpoints, interests, and activities

Julia Hobbs Kivistik–Executive Vice PresidentKivalena Starr–Account ExecutiveCone Inc. and AMP Insights 2006 Millennials Cause Branding StudyCone Inc. is an award–winning brand strategy agency, specializing in building brand trust. Their work includes the American Heart Association Go Red for Women and Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives campaigns. The purpose of our interview was to gain knowledge about cause branding to Millennials. In a recent cause brand-ing study Cone Inc. found that 89 percent of Millennials are likely or very likely to switch from one brand to another based on cause branding, more than any other group. Cone Inc. emphasized three main points to be mindful of when creating a cause branding campaign:

•It is important to capitalize on the shared experiences of this generation

•It is imperative to support a cause that aligns with the brand personality and matches the values of the audience

•Millennials desire ownership of their contribution and need a means to show their participation

AAF Latino Marketing ConferenceLuis Fitch–President and Creative Director of UnoChariot attended an American Advertising Federation Latino Marketing Conference to better understand a vital segment of our target. We interviewed keynote speaker Luis Fitch, president and creative director of Uno. Uno is a branding agency specializing in the Latino market. Four points of emphasis Chariot discovered were:

•Archetypal situations are more globally understood than culture

•The majority of Latinos are fully acculturated and prefer English to Spanish

•Youth is their common denominator. Youth outweighs race, culture, and ethnicity in how Millennials view themselves

•Rather than targeting Latino–specific media, Latino youth are most effectively reached through channels appealing to all youth

CONE

inteRviews

industRy analysisChoices, Choices, Choices In a nation of endless choices, the sparkling beverage industry is struggling. The sparkling industry volume dropped .6 percent in 2006, tripling the rate of the previous year’s decline. As the beverage industry proliferates and expands, it will be more necessary than ever for brands to have single–minded brand positions and messages.

Health–Driven Consumers In 2006, a three percent decline in the consumption of regular sparkling beverages was accompanied by a four percent increase of diet sparkling beverages. Diet options have grown as concerns over obesity have found their place in news media. Simultaneously, Millennials’ concerns over image have allowed diet sparkling beverages to fulfill the role of refreshment for this target, eliminating the calories of regular sparkling beverages.

Fizz Fortification An emphasis on healthy lifestyles has led to many new product developments in the sparkling beverage industry, altering Millennials preferred choices with a heightened awareness of wellbeing. The industry is trying to meet ever–evolving consumer demand by incorporating new benefits to existing products.

Implication Because of the growing number of beverage choices, Coca–Cola must connect with Millennials like never before. Currently, Coca–Cola does not speak directly to them and must significantly improve both media and messaging to engage Millennials. We need a unique and compelling point of view for the brand that lets Millennials conclude we are talking exclusively to them.

Competitive analysisPrimary Sparkling beverages such as Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Dr. Pepper are Coca–Cola’s primary competitors. Millennials embrace each brand because they believe these brands are designed for youth and allow them to play a distinct role in their lives.

Unlike Coca–Cola, Pepsi treats Millennials as its peers, exhibiting a carefree and lively image. Through juvenile humor and irreverence, Pepsi connects to these consumers. Millennials expect Pepsi to be trendy and on the cutting edge of popular culture. Pepsi’s new packaging campaign illustrates current trends through various lifestyle icons on its cans.

Mountain Dew is the brand Millennials associate with living life on the edge. Integrating the brand into Millennials’ lives and speaking directly to them is the key to Mountain Dew’s success. Millennials believe Mountain Dew is an accompaniment to an extreme and exciting life.

Millennials view Dr. Pepper as a sparkling beverage resembling other colas, but with a distinctive taste. Dr. Pepper puts forth a unique and eccentric personality, differentiating it from its competitors. It has a strong female consumer base, especially in the 13–18 year–old demographic. Dr. Pepper’s strongest asset is its flavor, which their latest ad campaign emphasizes.

In 2006, Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper increased both market share and volume, while Coca–Cola and Pepsi suffered a decrease in each. Also, Pepsi recently made inroads with McDonald’s, a major Coca–Cola outlet.

Secondary Millennials consume a variety of beverages for reasons such as refresh-ment, energy, indulgence, and nutrition. Due to the continual introduction of new products in the beverage industry, Coca–Cola will continually face new competition.

Energy Drinks such as Red Bull and Rockstar have captivated the Millennial market by emphasizing the energy boost sparkling beverages cannot match. Also, coffee shops have emerged as prominent places for socialization in the lives of Millennials, fulfilling the role of a gathering place away from home.

Sports drinks are adapting themselves to Millennials as more than simply sports drinks. By emphasizing features such as electrolytes and vitamin–enriched recipes, they fill a new role as a daily beverage choice. Millennials view sports drinks as appropriate for re–hydration rather than for social situations.

While fruit juices, bottled water, and tap water have been staple choices for years, they indirectly compete with sparkling beverages. Millennials do not see these as directly interchangeable, but they still reside on the beverage spectrum.

“A 13 year-old in Florida has more in common with a 13

year-old in Russia than with his own parents.”

Luis Fitch

bRand analysisBased on our research and insights we have developed Six Truths Millennials have about Coca–Cola. Understanding these truths is essential to address the brand health and brand consumption objectives.

Six Truths Millennials have about Coca–Cola1. In social situations Coca–Cola is the brand of choice and the most broadly accepted beverage. Coca–Cola’s advertising and promotions do not leverage the opportunity this represents

2. The Coca–Cola brand is filled with imagery created by and for past generations. Coca–Cola runs the risk of becoming dated

3. Coca–Cola’s advertising is a traditional mass–market approach designed for everyone–Millennials are allowed to listen in

4. The continual proliferation of the Coca–Cola brand portfolio dilutes the prestige of Coca–Cola Classic

5. Millennials accept Coca–Cola but they do not insist on it

6. Because Coca–Cola is both the name of the brand and the parent company it has a greater responsibility to engage in cause branding

swot analysisBased on our research, we have developed the following SWOT analysis:

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“Basic idea: to see Coke not as it was originally designed to be—a liquid refresher—but as a tiny bit of commonality between all peoples, a universally liked formula that would help to keep them company for a few minutes.”

Bill Backer, former creative director on the Coca-Cola account

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“With so many ways to stay connected to friends, conversations never end.

A big part of being a teen is defining yourself through

your peers.” Anastasia Goodstein, Ypulse.com

ConsumeR insiGhtsMillennials crave social interactions and are bound by the shared experiences of growing up. The commonalities of this process are the foundation for their social connections. Technology enables a variety of marketing opportunities making Millennials the most targeted demographic. However, many messages speak unsuccessfully to Millennials, whose habits are ever–changing. Millennials embrace brands that are easily integrated into their lives and engage in cause branding. From these insights, we have identified Six Truths about Millennials.

Six Truths about Millennials1. Social connection is desired above all else

2. They reward brands that fit into their lives and ignore brands expecting them to adapt

3. They define themselves first and foremost by their youth

4. As tech–savvy consumers, they adopt brands that allow them to stay connected

5. They are innately skeptical of marketing messages

6. They are brand nomads who are experimental in their choices

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ConsumeR seGmentsSocialization defines Millennials. Each day they spend more than four hours on social networking sites, sending text messages, talking on the phone, and instant messaging. These are the most uplifting times of the day. Millennials are constantly connected to their peers. With this in mind, we identified six segments of the Millennial market. These segments are derived from how sparkling beverages fits into Millennials’ lives and Coca–Cola’s ability to satisfy the need states identified in the case. Three of these segments represent our best opportunity to increase brand health and brand consumption. We call them the Sparkling Socialites, Connected Caffeinators, and Busy Buddies. These segments allow us to reach more than 65 percent of the Millen-nial market, which accounts for 75 percent of all Millennial consumption of sparkling beverages.

Sparkling Socialites These young consumers are trendsetters who take any opportunity to socialize face–to–face or through technology. The social currency of inside jokes and “gossip” is seductive to this group, making a night without friends devastating. An innate need for belonging is what drives their social nature. They consume sparkling beverages during the best moments of their lives. Sparkling Socialites are especially important because in a group setting sparkling beverage choices are contagious and individual consumption rates rise. Coca–Cola helps fulfill their need state of having a good time, especially with friends. Sparkling Social-ites represent 30 percent of all Millennials.

Connected Caffeinators These consumers are on the cutting edge of technological advances and use this technology for entertainment and to connect with others. The term Technotribalism best describes their digital interaction. They have addictive and competitive personalities, making their beverage choice a habitual accompaniment to gaming, web surfing and time with the guys. Connected Caffeinators are the heaviest users of sparkling beverages. Coca–Cola provides a sense of fun, comfort, and relaxation during their activities. The Connected Caffeinators comprise 15 percent of all Millennials.

Busy Buddies Busy Buddies value sparkling beverages between various tasks of their hectic lives. They treat their sparkling beverage as a reward, making their trip to the vending machine a “water cooler” experience, chatting with friends and coworkers. Taking a break during their day to enjoy a drink and talk with others is a coveted escape. Busy Buddies consume one to two sparkling beverages every day. Coca–Cola acts as a moment of comfort and relaxation during this segments active lifestyle. Busy Buddies make up 20 percent of all Millennials.

We identified three other segments of the sparkling beverage market. They include Diet Devoted, Food and Fizzers and Mingling Mixers. The segments are based on diet beverage preference, sparkling beverage food pairings and alcoholic mixing, respec-tively. These segments are smaller and we see less opportunity to improve brand health and brand consumption.

SPaRKLiNGSOciaLiTES

cHaNcEFOR PROFiT maRKET SiZE

FiT WiTHcOca-cOLa

BRaNd imaGE

cONNEcTEdcaFFEiNaTORS

BuSyBuddiES

FOOd &FiZZERS

diETdEvOTEd

miNGLiNGmixERS

maRKETaccESSiBiLiTy

“When you are able to create brands that people believe in, you also create groups of people who

feel that they belong.” Patrick Hanlon, Primal Branding

ChaRiot’s bRand peRfoRmanCe modelOur proprietary brand performance model illustrates how we will meet both campaign objectives of:

• Increasing Millennial favorite brand rating by 3 percentage points

• Increasing Millennial consumption by 3 percentage points

Our model’s first gear (Brand Health) addresses the “favorite brand rating objective.” We place priority on brand health because without a strong and compelling brand you are left to increase consumption by price discounting.

We will position Coca–Cola as highly relevant and engaging to the Millennial market using advertising, media, public relations, event marketing, social networking, retail activiation, and cause branding, which we call “connections.” This strengthened brand position will drive greater consumption of Coca–Cola.

The second gear (Brand Consumption) addresses the “brand incidence objective.” Event promotions, contests and other incentives will supplement our brand health initiatives and drive increased target consumption and loyalty.

CReative stRateGyEstablish Coke as an integral part of our target’s social lives.When speaking to Millennials, it is essential to present messages they can relate to. Our executions meet them where they are instead of asking them to come to us by seamlessly integrating Coca-Cola into their lives. Coca-Cola provides a means for the brand to be used in their existing lifestyles, and shows television executions where Coca-Cola exists in archetypal situations.

adapted CommuniCation aRChiteCtuReWe have adapted the current Coca–Cola communication architecture to better reflect the personality and lifestyle of our target. The adapted communication architecture utilizes language and ideas tailored to our Millennial market while maintaining the integrity of the current architecture.

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cREaTivE STRaTEGy

positioninG statement

Coke is an uplifting part of your favorite shared experiences.

Our communications will:•Show Coke in engaging, archetypal situations

•Create a sense of community around the brand

•Remain true to the image and reputation of the Coke brand

CReativeCoca-Cola is the world’s most valuable brand, and the uplifting tones and themes of our work maintain the integrity of the brand. Rather than altering the brand image so it appeals to Millennials, we are exhibiting how it already does.

It is imperative for Coca-Cola to be where Millennials are. In commercial executions, this means presenting situations where Coca-Cola happens to exist, rather than creating social situations centered around the brand. Our non-traditional executions exist in physical and virtual locations central to Millennials coming together. They foster social connection and provide unique links between friends. Every execution is designed to make Coca-Cola an uplifting part of their social lives, allowing Millen-nials to associate the brand with times of social connection.

While our creative work is humorous and real on the surface, it carries underlying themes of social goodwill, inclusiveness, and belonging. We have found these values are central to multicultural youth. This is how Millennials see the world. This is their Coke Side of Life.

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cREaTivE SummaRy1

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TOGETHER

CoCa–Cola ConneCtionsOur media selections, advertising, public relations activities, and promotional programs function seamlessly to create an uplifting brand experience and bring a relationship mindset to every part of our plan. This plan is integrated. Traditional silos are eliminated.

We aim to connect with our target in meaningful, engaging ways. Every touch point with our target is an opportunity to improve “brand health” and in turn increase consumption. We have built a plan based on these “connections.” These principles drive our new approach to connecting with Millennials.

ConneCtions obJeCtives •Increase the relevance of the Coca–Cola brand to Millennials

•Integrate the brand into the lives of our target during moments of social connection

•Provide social value for our target

CoRe ConneCtions stRateGiesYouth First Our connections engage the 13–24 age demographic exclusively. In order to be relevant, Coca–Cola must connect with Millennials during the social moments that define their lives. Promotions or media buys that fail to exclusively connect would not resonate in the same perception-changing way.

Integration Each of our implementations invite members of our target to further participate with the brand by providing value at each touch point in the Coca–Cola brand experience. It is not enough to simply drive traffic to our Website. We have taken the next step by making the advancement of brand experience and social connection an important qualification for inclusion in our plan. Timing We have timed our connections schedule to coordinate with Millennials moments of social connection in order to integrate into their lives in a non-intru-sive way. To remain consistently relevant, we will provide social value at staggered intervals throughout the year.

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Geography Our connections plan is national in scope because Millennials, regardless of location or ethic diversity, readily identify with each other. Despite a wide variety of backgrounds, young people are defined first by their youth. This is such a strong bond that we are able to connect with and unite Millennials across the country in an efficient way.

Some campaign elements better lend themselves to local executions. To determine whichmarkets to target, we used a weighted formula that accounted for the 13–24 population of the region, ethnicity, and average consumption statistics. The 20 mar-kets with the highest ratings are our hubs for select events and promotions.

Measurement Our connection touch points have the capacity to connect with a significant number of our target audience members and immerse them in the Coca–Cola brand experience. Consequently, our media plan will not be a traditional plan based on reach or frequency. Rather, our media will maintain a consistent, relevant presence in our target’s lives by being available in their lives on their terms. Making an impactful connection is the essence of our campaign, and its success will be based on those connections.

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TaRGET maRKETS

the RevelationMany Millennials consider Coca–Cola to be the drink of their parents. Because of this mindset, any advertising or marketing effort will be considered through this lens, making acceptance into their lives unlikely. Changing this perception is absolutely essential to engage this target and make the values of Coca–Cola a relevant part of their lives.

We will purchase national television advertising space on networks primarily reach-ing our targets including MTV, the CW, and extreme sports programming on ESPN 2. Our television will primarily occur early in our plan to unveil, on a big stage, our commitment to creating social value for our target. Further, the partnerships and collaborations created in this buy will provide relevant and interesting content for other points of connection including streaming downloads.

We address Millennials directly by using archetypal situations with which they can widely and readily identify. Our executions avoid stereotypes and put forth situations where Coca–Cola has an important and uplifting effect on a social situation. The content of our work captures life’s best social experiences and is unique to our age group. These defining moments are Coca–Cola-specific times when only an iconic brand like Coca–Cola could create uplift.

When we chose the stories and situations for our ads, we looked for the intersec-tion of “real” and “uplifting.” Real means our ideas are believable and authentic. It tells our target that they are being understood and spoken with directly. Uplifting means our creative inspires “happiness inside” and fosters associations within our target between Coca–Cola and the best parts of their life. Coca–Cola plays an art-fully heroic role in our work, enhancing social connections and creating a sense of community around the brand.

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paRty foul :30/:60. (t.v., Cinema, online)[pär–te¯·faul] When someone spills or breaks something at a party (often resulting in a mess, general spectacle, or embarrassment)1

Commercial Idea A shy boy uses Coca–Cola to seize an opportunity to approach a girl at a party.

SHY BOY is at a party, standing ner-vously and alone, drinking a Coca–Cola and uncomfortably checking out GIRL from across the room.

GIRL is standing near the beverage table, alone and drinking a bottle of Coca–Cola, there isn’t much left.

A party goer gets a Coca–Cola from the table and he bumps GIRL as she is taking a drink of her Coca–Cola, spilling what is left of it on her shirt.

Embarrassed she frantically be-gins to clean her shirt. SHY BOY notices this, turns away and spills his Coca–Cola on himself.

As he nears her, she notices him and the spill on his shirt. Realizing that she is now not the only one with a Coca–Cola stain, she smiles.

He begins to walk towards GIRL, grabbing her a new Coca–Cola on the way.

Production notes Theme Coca–Cola enhances social connection.

Tone Funny and sweet.

Casting Diverse cast conveys themes of inclusiveness.

Music “You Know What” by Craig David. Hip–hop beat and rhythm enhance associations of Coca–Cola with emotional uplift.

Description of the commercial An awkward boy is drinking Coca–Cola at a party and sees an attractive girl, but lacks the confidence to talk to her. When he sees her accidentally spill Coca–Cola on her shirt, he takes his bottle and discreetly spills on himself. He approaches her, and her embarrassment is relieved when she sees his stain. She smiles as he offers her a new bottle of Coca–Cola and they share a laugh together.

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8.7.6.5.

4.3.2.

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Game on :30/:60 (t.v., Cinema, online)[ga¯m än] A phrase said before preparing to engage in a competitive event.1

Commercial Idea A group of young adults are competing in a spirited match of the popular game foosball.

Production notes Theme Coca–Cola enhances social connection. Coca–Cola is an integral part of youth socialization.

Casting Diverse cast conveys themes of inclusiveness.

Music “Foosball Man” original composition by David Sandler reinforces themes and is a sure smile. Upbeat music reinforces associations of emotional uplift with Coca–Cola.

8.7.6.

4.3.2.

Description of the commercial A group of young adults are drinking Coca–Cola and competing in a spirited game of Foosball. The good times appear to have ended when the goalie is shattered in a fluke shot. “Game over” is declared. After consoling herself with the rest of her Coca–Cola, a quick–thinking player sees that the shape of her bottle has a striking resemblance to that of the Foosball players. She quickly finishes her Coke and duct–tapes the empty bottle in place of the goalie. Coke hero-ically restores the good times as “Game on” is declared.

Close up on an intense game of foosball.

There is a group of players, each bursting with competitive spirit.

We hear a noise of the goalie break-ing. One player says “You killed the goalie” and another quickly declares “Game over.” All are disappointed.

A quick thinking girl sees a solution and quickly drinks the rest of her Coca–Cola.

There is loud cheering as the inten-sity of the game picks back up with the new goalie. Coca–Cola has saved the game.

She tapes the empty Coca–Cola bottle in the goalie position. She declares “Game on,” and the game resumes. (Cue in music- Foosball Man”)

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5.

1www.urbandictionary.com

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“Forward-thinking brands will not only connect with consumers but will connect consumers with each other.” 7 Trends to Watch in 2007

Copy testinG summaRy

Objective To understand the potential impact of our new Coca-Cola commercials

Research Design Chariot conducted one-on-one interviews with Millennials, show-ing each respondent both “Party Foul” and “Game On.” Specifically, we wanted to understand the following:

•Millennials’ interpretation of the brand message

•The degree to which Millennials view these spots as “uplifting” and “endearing”

•The impact on Millennials’ attitudes towards Coca–Cola

Findings Respondents reacted extremely favorably towards both commercials. They readily saw the commercials as examples of Coca–Cola playing a uplifting role in social situations. They saw the situations as real and representative of their lifestyle.

When asked about their perception of “Party Foul,” respondents felt the ads com-municated acceptance and valiance.

•“That’s so sweet.”

•“If that was me, I’d be so glad someone was being awkward with me.”

•“I should try that sometime!”

When asked about their perception of “Game On,” respondents identified themes of belonging and ingenuity.

•“This totally reminds me of me and my friends.”

•“Awesome!”

•“That song is hilarious.”

When asked about their perception of Coca–Cola after viewing the commercials, respondents thought the commercials were a perfect fit for the Coca–Cola brand personality.

•“That’s perfect, he wouldn’t have handed her anything but a Coke.”

•“It’s like Coke was the hero. It saved the game.”

soCial ConneCtoRs: teChnoloGyOur target market is incredibly media savvy. They embrace new technologies with open arms and are eager to utilize them in exciting ways. Our technology programs harness cutting edge media developments in such a way that each medium will enhance our target’s moments of connection and provide them with the social cache that comes with a mastery of the latest and hippest technologies.

We aim to reach a contemporary audience through contemporary media. Flash banner advertising and typical viral video placement will soon lack the impact they once had. Our technology implementations represent our dedication to only the newest developments in media. We will create customized connecting programs unique to Coca–Cola that will resonate with our target and will drive them to seek out these connectors. Here are some programs we envision.

Coke/EA GameZone Coca–Cola will partner with EA games and Microsoft, both leaders in their industry, to create a gaming environment for Connected Caffeinators unlike anything they have experienced before. Through these partnerships, we will supply downloadable game patches for popular EA titles such as Madden, NCAA March Madness, and The Sims to enhance their gaming experience. Users will form collaborative teams and play online through Xbox Live against other formed teams. For achieving certain in–game feats, users will be instantly rewarded with MyCokeRewards points that they can consistently monitor and redeem during play. We will also provide features enabling inter–game communication.

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CokeTunes 6–pack We will leverage our partnership with iTunes to provide the newest component for fostering connection on the social networking system Facebook. Facebook users can share uploads of their favorite artists’ songs on their friends’ user profiles. The most recent six songs shared will be displayed on users’ profiles and will create a link between sender and receiver. This will enhance a criti-cal component of social currency in our target’s lives, and will result in a music–driven network facilitating exploration and experimentation.

My Coke Connector Mobile social networking is becoming integral in

the interactive lifestyles of Millenni-als. Coca–Cola will foster social con-

nectivity by partnering with GPS technol-ogy provider Dodgeball to offer Millennials

a unique GPS service, My Coke Connector. Through their phones, friends will be able to locate

and instant message each other, pick a hangout spot, or find the nearest place to grab a Coca–Cola. The software will

be available on the MyCoke Website.

72932988/Joel Sartore/Getty Images

soCial ConneCtoRs: eventsThe single most important part of Millennials’ lives is time spent with their friends, whether attending a concert, catching a movie, or just “hanging out.” This is their time to be content with themselves and their peers. We want Coca–Cola to not only be a part of these connections, but go a step further by enhancing social moments.

We learned Millennials have been bombarded with so many advertisements that they have become resistant to typical advertising messages. Traditional sponsorships are often ineffective, if not unwelcome. Our events are much more strategic. Coca–Cola will not merely be the host or sponsor, but will provide our target with engaging moments of social connection and will become an accepted part of their lives.

Coke/MTV “MyStory” Contest Coca–Cola will partner with MTV to sponsor a promotional contest that combines Millennials’ love for music with their desire for self–expression. The contest will award a winner the opportunity to pair with a popular music artist to write and record a song telling their story. To enter, Millenni-als will submit video applications on mycoke.com/mystory to tell their unique story and justify why it should be told. A selected group of contestants’ profiles will then be posted at mycoke.com, where visitors will vote for the best story. The winning song will be performed by the artist at MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMAs). MTV will run an exclusive broadcast detailing the winner’s experience during the production and execution process, to be aired prior to the VMAs.

Text 2 Screen (T2S) We will reconfigure and utilize current promotional theater efforts of Coca–Cola in a way that is more relevant to Millennials by implement-ing Text 2 Screen technology in theaters. Friends can interact with each other in a novel way by sending text messages for display on the screen prior to the movie. This new technology has been used previously at select concerts and generated an overwhelmingly positive response from our target. T2S will accompany the premiers of 2008 blockbuster movies aimed at our target, including: Step Brothers, The Dark Knight, and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. This will be promoted on the redesigned lids distributed on movie theater cups.

“Mobile devices are the lynchpin of community and connectedness for youth.” Truly, Madly, Deeply Engaged

Coke Factories We will create a new breed of Coca–Cola vending machine called Coke Factories. Our Coke Factories feature a transparent design, allowing our target to view the inside of the machine. The Coke Factories have the ability to bottle eight ounce glass and twenty ounce plastic bottles before our target’s eyes. Our Factories feature an LCD touch screen promoting relevant events and offer Bluetooth down-loads that will provide tremendous social currency for our target through music or ringtones. We will also provide interactive gaming displays with motion sensing input from the technological consulting firm, Accenture. These features will entertain and engage our target by integrating their interests with the Coca–Cola brand.

Initially, Coke Factories will be placed near movie theaters and arcades in malls. These Factories will then become mobile, appearing at events and locations that appeal to our target, such as concerts. Coke Factories will attract and intrigue our target, and will engage them in way that no vending machine has before.

My Coke Campus Kits By distributing My Coke Campus Kits, Coca–Cola will foster social connection for college students at a prime time: the beginning of fall semester. In each kit there will be a campus map highlighting social spots, and various items including:

•Bag of microwave popcorn

•Video rental coupons

•Prepaid card for free Coca–Cola (See MyCokeRewards Card)

•Coca–Cola branded whiteboard

•Promotional material for upcoming Coca–Cola sponsored events

•Campus specific coupons for events or other proximal businesses

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Coke SideStage Music and friends play important roles in the lives of Millennials. Coca–Cola will combine the two in a unique concert series. In our top 20 cities, we will broadcast a series of live musical performances in small, trendy nightclub loca-tions for sold out shows. Branded Coca–Cola SideStage, this series would provide an intimate and high–energy environment, endorsing social connection. SideStage tickets will be available through local radio DJ promotions.

cokesidestage

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soCial ConneCtoRs: Cause bRandinGTolerance Centers Thirty–five years ago Coca–Cola asked the world to sing in perfect harmony. This youth–targeted invitation asked people to come together and set their differences aside. This ideal has never been more important than it is today. We have found the 21st century expression of a world in harmony. It is through the emergence of tolerance centers throughout the United States and the world promoting understanding of different backgrounds. Tolerance centers feature exhib-its, programming, and lectures aimed at youth with the sole purpose of promoting tolerance and understanding. We recommend Coca–Cola take a lead position by becoming the first brand to sponsor tolerance centers.

Tolerance centers, such as the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and The New York Tolerance Center, are opening throughout the United States and around the world in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Israel, Mexico, Chile, Canada, Holland, and

France to promote better understanding between persons of different racial backgrounds, color, national or ethnic origins, and religions.

There is no group of consumers that feels more strongly about cause branding than Millennials. The 2006 Cone Millennial Cause

Study showed that 74 percent of Millennials are more likely to pay attention to a company’s messages if the company has a

deep commitment to a social cause. They are prepared to reward or punish a company based on its emphasis on cause branding efforts. The Coca–Cola brand has always represented a common bond among people; through these centers Coca–Cola will help further that bond. The broad diversity of our target makes understanding and tolerance perfect causes for Coca–Cola.

Coca–Cola will be the lead sponsor of educational programming and social activities advocating toler-ance, as well as contribute to the funding for additional centers. The Website mycoke.com/tolerate will provide

direct links to centers’ websites, in addition to highlight-ing volunteer opportunities and upcoming events. To build

connections among Millennials, MyCokeRewards will also allow members to put reward points towards a donation to

support opening and existing centers.

Tolerance Center Badge Whether hanging off their backpack, car keys, or dorm keys, Millennials are constantly using key chains in their daily lives. To encourage Millenni-al’s support for tolerance centers, Coca–Cola will distribute white metal key chains in the shape of a puzzle piece with subtle silver text of the word “Tolerate.” The puzzle pieces will be manufactured in a way such that they can fit into each other, making the badge both foster social connection and represent tolerance. In nature, if all colors of light are shone on one point, our eyes see the color white, the combina-tion of all colors. This will be representative of the tolerance centers, where people of all races, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds can come together.

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ConneCtion dRiveRsWe will utilize traditional media forms in fresh new ways to create excitement around our holistic branding effort. We call these connection drivers. They will bring attention to the social value our campaign provides. Connection drivers will operate on a local level and will connect with our target in a way that is exclusively theirs.

MyCokeRewards Card Millennials, often labeled “Generation Plastic”, spends 50 percent more at vending machines that accept credit cards. By 2009, more than half of all vending machines will have a cashless option. Coca–Cola Classic will part-ner with MasterCard, offering MyCokeRewards members the chance to obtain a MyCokeRewards card. This card can be used to access members’ MyCokeRewards accounts and serve as a prepaid option for purchase. To capitalize on our target’s desire for instant gratification, they will be rewarded with MyCokeRewards points for each card use. Mastercard will produce a commercial indicative of their “Price-less” campaign, marrying Coca–Cola’s brand imagery with Mastercard’s execution to promote this collaboration.

Personality Radio Promotions Coca–Cola will team up with Top–40 radio stations to air promotions in our top 20 cities. We will use personality radio to provide infor-mation about our promotions, including Coke SideStage. Using popular DJs gives our message a credible third party endorsement from a source Millennials already trust.

My Coke Side of Life Coca–Cola will create a brand new section in college news-papers facilitating social connection on campus. This novel section is strategically placed within the papers and will run weekly. Entertaining stories and anecdotes will be submitted online and selected by each paper’s editor under Coca–Cola’s advise-ment. This inserts Coca–Cola as a regular part of our target’s routine, providing a vehicle for sharing stories with their peers. This section can also be used to promote Coca–Cola–sponsored events.

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Retail aCtivationPackaging Superbowl Launch Always looking for an excuse to spend time together, Millennials seize the opportunity to gather over food, football, and friends on Superbowl Sunday. Coca–Cola will spark early buzz by incorporating electronic paper displays (EPD) into the packaging for the two weeks prior to Superbowl XLII. The animated labels will be manufac-tured by E–Ink Corporation, which Coca–Cola has already teamed with for point–of–purchase adver-tising at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Instead of asking Millennials to pay attention to another advertisement, Coca–Cola will bring a magical element to their party with an animated, moving label on cases of Coca–Cola. Distributing these new packages to the top 20 cities will provide an innovative way to launch the 2008 Coca–Cola campaign.

Point–of–purchase programs will be introduced in two locations: supermarkets and vending machines. They will be designed to activate retail purchase as well as reinforce brand health.

Grocery Stores: My Coke Label Maker In grocery stores across the country, Coca–Cola will place a point–of–purchase display at the end of the beverage aisle called the My Coke Label Maker. At these stations, there will be mini photo–booths. Millennials can take pictures together that will print out on labels which can be put on label–less six–packs that will be placed next to the display. This will foster social connection through shared experience and consumption, as well as instantly person-alize their Coca–Cola.

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Vending: Coke Factory Point–of–Purchase efforts through vending will be realized in the Coke Factory (see page 22) vending machines. We will implement non–tradi-tional media into the malls that have My Coke Factory vending. We will strategically place high–definition video projection systems to attract Millennials to the Coke Factory vending machines. These displays utilize freeform three–dimensional images whose high resolution and quality make them remarkably real. We will use them to display the treasured Coca–Cola polar bear and penguin. These icons will come together and admire the newest Coca–Cola creation. This will increase traffic to the Coke Factories and ignite social connections.

The consumer’s experience at vending machines will also be enhanced through the partnership with MasterCard, giving Millennials the ability to purchase a Coca–Cola with their credit card.

MyCokeRewards We have found most Millennials are unfamiliar with the MyCokeRewards loyalty program. MyCokeRewards simply does not connect with Millennials effectively. We want to preserve MyCokeRewards, but alter the rewards and executions to become more relevant to our target. The MyCokeRe-wards program will also be a connecting point for other aspects of our campaign, and develop new features to create a more engaging experience.

In order to provide an additional channel for MyCokeRewards distribution to Millennials, we will issue a rewards code on movie theater fountain beverages. There will be a circular piece of cardboard fixed on the top of the cup lids with a straw hole. The cardboard will have a MyCokeRewards code on the top, and will addition-ally direct the consumer to mycoke.com/Rewards. To satisfy Millennials’ need for instant gratification, we recommend the reintroduction of under–the–cap instant win promotions. This will also give new life to MyCokeRewards as caps that are not instant winners will continue to provide a MyCokeRewards point code. We will add prize options that are more attainable and relevant to our target. The prizes will be primarily partnership contributions such as EA video games, free iTunes, or concert tickets.

We will also provide new uses for MyCokeRewards points such as:•The ability to transfer points to a friend’s account to encourage collaboration and accumulation of points

•The ability to transform points into a donation to our cause branding efforts

•The ability to accumulate value from points onto the MyCokeRewards Card for use in cashless vending machines

“Youth freely intertwine their media and technological

experiences, creating something new and entirely personal.” Truly, Madly, Deeply Engaged

online RefReshmentNinety-two percent of our survey respondents said that online sources are an “im-portant or very important” method to connect with their friends. Given the growing popularity of the Internet as a medium for social connection, Coca–Cola’s Web pres-ence becomes of critical importance.

To optimize the online brand experience for our target we will:• Position the mycoke.com Website to resonate with our target and will use and develop Coca–Cola’s current online assets in a way that is relevant to them

• Implement new online activities that will increase social connectivity for our target and will provide them with social currency and entertainment

• Adjust Coca–Cola’s current web branding to reflect an understanding of Millennials by avoiding a misaligned presence

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“The most important rule in Webpage design is to eliminate

unnecessary design.”

Vincent Flanders, New York Times

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mycoke.comThe mycoke.com Website currently lacks a firm understanding of Millennials. This is shown by:

•Containing too much flash, which increases download time for our target whose attention span is notoriously short

•Using avatars appealing to a pre–teen audience that Coca–Cola has responsibly decided not to communicate with

•Showing naivety through improper use of Millennials’ lifestyles and language

•Being fragmented and difficult to navigate

Our goal is to develop an all–encompassing Website from the existing mycoke.com that unifies all Web branding activities and micro sites. It is necessary to establish an integrated system to make the Websites relevant, recognizable, and reflective of our target.

StumbleUpon StumbleUpon is an up–and–coming online content generator. We will partner with StumbleUpon.com by placing their video randomizer on mycoke.com. This will provide social value for Millennials and will increase the stickiness of mycoke.com. Additionally, our television spots will be posted through StumbleUpon, which has a reputation for initiating viral video buzz.

New Artist Downloads Because of the importance of new music in Millennials’ lives, there will be special attention given to making new artist downloads accessible through mycoke.com. With the aid of the MTV TrendWatching team, we will be better able to anticipate fresh artists.

My Coke Scene Coca–Cola will partner with CitySearch.com to build mycoke.com/scene targeting the interests and lifestyle of our target. Users will be linked to unique sites for their city or zip code, where they will receive up–to–date informa-tion on restaurants, clubs, music, shows, movies, shopping, benefits, and social events. Users can post events and personal recommendations through an online forum. The forum will engage users in a discussion about the happenings in their area and provide information as a source of social currency for our target. Forum users will register with a user name and will have the ability to create a network of users with similar interests. The site will offer opt–in e–mail notifications when contacts make new posts on the forum. In addition, users can create a linkable profile of personal interests, such as music or sporting events.

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ConneCtion sChedule

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Concept testing has been conducted to ensure our campaign communicates its key messages as intended, but Chariot’s efforts will not end with the launch of “Together.” To monitor the impact of the campaign on Millennials’ perceptions and consumption of Coca–Cola, we will use the following brand discovery tools:

•Online focus groups

•Real time surveys

•Instant feedback creative testing

•Consumer brand communities

•Net Promoter Score tracking

•Consumer Generated Content analysis

•Community detection

•Social Network analysis

•MTV TrendWatch partnership

These tools will discover emerging trends to apply in future communication efforts, as well as continually monitor the effectiveness of the campaign and provide insight to evolve with our consumers.

*All production costs included in listed price except noted commercial cost

SourcesBooks: Best Customers–Demographics of Consumer Demand, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, A New Brand World, The Copy Workshop, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, Differentiate or Die, Truth, Lies, and Advertising, Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands, Advertising Campaign Planning, Alternative Advertising, Media Week: Marketer’s Guide to Media, Juicing the Orange, Hitting the Sweet Spot, Primal Branding

Websites: www.coca–cola.com, www.pepsi.com, www.mountaindew.com, www.face-book.com, www.mastercard.com, mcr.us.icoke.com, www.mycoke.com, www.mtv.com, www.wiesenthal.com, www.easports.com, www.drpepper.com, www.census.gov, www.eyeliner3d.com, www.mintel.com, www.epnet.com, www.beverage–digest.com, www.youtube.com, www.myspace.com, www.adage.com, www.brandweek.com, www.mediaweek.com, www.newmediamusings.com, www.adverlab.blogspot.com, www.ypulse.com

People: Vanessa Hambidge, Ryan Spicer, Kivalena Starr, Julia Hobbs Kivistik, Luis Fitch

Publications: Advertising Age, Adweek, Brandweek, Media Week, Media, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Star Tribune, Truly, Madly, Deeply Engaged: Yahoo/OMD Study, Vending Times

Resources: MRI, Simmons Market Research, SRDS, LexisNexis, Nielsen Media Re-search, Mintel Market Reports, Business Source Premier

Coca–Cola has challenged Chariot to deliver an integrated marketing campaign that increases brand health and brand consumption. Through our extensive research and key findings, we have identified the most opportune target segments and created a framework for effective brand messaging.

Our “Together” campaign will deeply engage Millennials and establish Coca–Cola as an integral part of their social lives. An essential characteristic of the Coca–Cola brand personality is the unique role it plays in uplifting social connections. We understand togetherness and belonging defines uplifting experiences in the lives of Millennials.

Each touch point in our campaign is integrated into the lives of Millennials and provides them with social value that will strengthen their relationship with the Coca–Cola brand. We will make Coca–Cola an exciting and relevant component of our target’s lives.

We will turn your goals into reality and your ideas into market share. Your journey into the lives of Millennials begins with Chariot.

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the CoCa–Cola ConneCtions teamMelissa BillitteriToni BoniniCallie ChappellClaire DaltonCarina Enbody (leader)Jennifer HathawayTheresa HenkeAmanda IssacsonLibby IssendorfBrian KellerDan KunitzWill Lenzen Jr.Graham LewisOlga LeykindJeanine LilkeBria LindseyTiffani LundeenNate Marholz (leader)Julie MattkeAnnette Neist (leader)Meghan Norris (leader)Meagan O’BrienKristin OlsonCaitie PowersErin ScottNicole SimmonsMorgan Stanford (leader)Omar ThabetMike TsangAshley VanessJanelle VietzeBrenna Whisney (leader)

pResidentsBrandon Miller

Matt NyquistAlicia Looney

speCial thanKsJohn Eighmey

Luis FitchVanessa Hambidge

Earl HerzogJennifer Johnson

Julia Hobbs KivistikHeather Myers

John RashRyan Spicer

Kivalena StarrMegan StohnerWally Swanson

Al TimsH–Dawg

advisoRHoward Liszt