Coke: big New Media push
By Bala Shah

Coca Cola dominates the market in India and most of the world. It is the most recognized brand in the world and much of the credit goes to its quality products and clever marketing team. 

Coca Cola, like all successful businesses, quickly moved to Facebook, Twitter and any social media where their consumers congregate

Adage is reporting on now how Coca-Cola is gearing up for its largest social-media project ever - Expedition 206.  Expedition 206 will send three 20-somethings to 206 countries and territories where Coca-Cola is sold in 2010. The trio sets off on their 275,000-mile tour from Madrid on Jan. 1, 2010 stocked with laptops, video cameras, smartphones and plenty of other gadgetry, in order to document for the masses their search for happiness. Their journey will be tracked at www.Expedition206.com, as well as through Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and on Twitter @x206.

Coca Cola on their official website describes their 3 ‘Ambassadors’ as traveling the world to ‘find out what makes people happy’. Like all marketing exercises by all companies, the aim is to engage the younger people via Facebook and Twitter.

The 3 winners of the Expedition206 competition were announced on Nov 16.  Not surprisingly, the 3 selected by Coca Cola were from some of Coca Cola’s biggest markets.  Tono is from Mexico which is Coca Cola’s largest overseas market. In fact the Mexican President headed the local Coca Cola before heading the country. The second winner is Kelly who was born in Africa but now lives in Europe.  The third winner is from USA.

No one from Asia will be part of this particular Coca Cola’s international social media push.  Despite Coca Cola announcing in July, 2009 that “unit case volume increased four percent, up from three percent in the year-earlier quarter. International volume growth came in at five, matching that from a year ago. Emerging markets performed well for KO, as India saw growth increase 33 percent and China notched 14 percent growth.”.

India and China were the pillars of financial stability as the world descended into recession. Substantial political and economic power has moved to Asia. But even now, sometimes it is surprising how USA and Europe centric international social media marketing campaigns are. Dell, Apple and even Yahoo first do international launches in US and Europe.  Even as Indians drink more coke and are very well represented on Twitter and Facebook, it will be a few more years when we will take our rightful places on the stage of international marketing campaigns.

Just a fact of life. But it will change soon.