I have seen a lot of advertisements and brand philosophies in my life, some of which are forgettable and others that are forever etched on my mind. Among my most memorable ones are the iconic Coca-Cola Christmas caravans. A fleet of Coca-Cola trucks with twinkling lightworks snaking through snowy landscapes and accompanied by the jingle, ‘Holidays are coming’.
If I were to describe these ads, I would call them heartwarming and enchanting. I think what made them so relatable was the fact that they had a simple concept, simple jingle, and a happy message. Christmas is here. It is time for rest, family reunions, and celebration. That, coupled with the excitement and togetherness that already punctuate the Christmas season did it for me and I believe for millions of other people.
Over time, Coca-Cola’s branding has always been about spreading happiness, warmth, and joy. In line with this, the company has recently announced a new and long-term brand philosophy dubbed ‘Real Magic’, to invite consumers to celebrate everyday magic moments of humanity.
The Real Magic campaign is something that is sure to resonate with every Coca-Cola customer globally. After all, it is about experiencing magic in moments when we come together. Togetherness is crucial for humanity and has always been the social glue that holds families and communities so that we feel safe, secure, and part of something bigger than ourselves. Coca-Cola’s Real Magic brand philosophy comes bundled with a tweak in the company’s logo to form a hug. A hug signifies warmth and comfort and that is exactly what friends and family are to one another.
Looking at the timing, and as much as this is long term, Coca-Cola is once again ushering families and friends into the festive mood. The company has actually lined up exciting activities for the holidays and there will be some fun activations near you. The Christmas caravan will also make appearances here and there. Being that ‘Real Magic’ is long term, the good vibes will extend beyond the holidays.
“As part of the Real Magic campaign, Coca-Cola will have various activities geared towards engaging consumers especially during the festive season. There will be mall activations, discounts and offers on products, which will lead to the big Iconic festive season which will culminate in the best festive ever celebration that will include a colorful Christmas caravan in select locations across the country.” Coca Cola Company.
Despite the tough times that humanity has been through in the recent past, there is still magic to be found and enjoyed especially when we come together. This coming together could be either physical or virtual. In the end, we have the power within us to make everyday moments extraordinary and enjoy them.
Other than the Christmas ads, Coca-Cola has had many others in the spirit of connecting people and pushing a sense of community. Like the massive and very successful global campaign ‘Share A Coke’. This campaign “involved changing the traditional wrapping around the Coca-Cola bottle to say ‘Share a Coke with…’ and a popular name. The purpose of the campaign was to create a more personal relationship with consumers and inspire shared moments of happiness. For instance, in Israel the country’s largest billboards were turned into interactive signs which greeted its citizens by name. China also printed nicknames on their bottles instead of first names, providing an even more personal alternative. Coca-Cola Company.
Closer home, names were customized to fit the Kenyan context and included Achieng, Shiro, Wanjala, and Owino among others.
Yours truly was privileged to have my name on a can courtesy of the Coca-Cola Nairobi office.
Once again, this campaign was one of the most engaging and creative Coca-Cola campaigns because you could buy someone a soda with their name on it and gift them. At the end of the day it was a really simple concept. Planning and execution can’t have been an easy task though, including designing a new type face to safeguard copyright and intellectual property, and sourcing machines that could print names on Coca-Cola cans. But what got to us as end users was love and warmth, not different from the newly launched Real Magic campaign that comes complete with a hug.