Coke Finds Inspiration in iPod

Seems the old man of consumer brands is taking a lesson from the new kid on the block. I’m talking about the world’s biggest softdrink company, Coca-Cola learning the advertising ropes from the popular digital music player, the iPod. Coke has found an inspiration from Apple’s “Silhouettes”campaign which reminds everyone that iPod is a product for people on the move. Coke studied Apple’s print and outdoor communication, and the result is the upcoming “Welcome to the Coke side of life” advertising blitz, which Coke says will  emphasize outdoor advertising, like a 200 feet wallscape depicting colors and images splashing out of a Coke bottle.

It’s just quite ironic that a giant company who has brought us catchprases like “The Real Thing” and “Have a Coke and a Smile” is running low on the creative juice meter and couldn’t find anything that will stick. And the result of the iPod inspiration?

Coke chief creative officer Esther Lee said: “It is important with big brands that we evoke the feeling of what we are trying to say to people as opposed to telling people. You feel what the benefit of iPod is in the creative.”

Some industry watchers have expressed their reservations about Coke’s advertising strategy, and I don’t blame them. Coke may have missed that part where it says iPod is just hip and cool. No matter what advertising strategy Apple uses, it will sell.
Seems the old man of consumer brands is taking a lesson from the new kid on the block. I’m talking about the world’s biggest softdrink company, Coca-Cola learning the advertising ropes from the popular digital music player, the iPod. Coke has found an inspiration from Apple’s “Silhouettes”campaign which reminds everyone that iPod is a product for people on the move. Coke studied Apple’s print and outdoor communication, and the result is the upcoming “Welcome to the Coke side of life” advertising blitz, which Coke says will  emphasize outdoor advertising, like a 200 feet wallscape depicting colors and images splashing out of a Coke bottle.

It’s just quite ironic that a giant company who has brought us catchprases like “The Real Thing” and “Have a Coke and a Smile” is running low on the creative juice meter and couldn’t find anything that will stick. And the result of the iPod inspiration?

Coke chief creative officer Esther Lee said: “It is important with big brands that we evoke the feeling of what we are trying to say to people as opposed to telling people. You feel what the benefit of iPod is in the creative.”

Some industry watchers have expressed their reservations about Coke’s advertising strategy, and I don’t blame them. Coke may have missed that part where it says iPod is just hip and cool. No matter what advertising strategy Apple uses, it will sell.