Coca-Cola unveils first UK umbrella campaign

by Nicola Clark, Marketing 27-Jul-05

Coca-Cola is embarking on an unprecedented campaign to promote its full portfolio of drinks brands to a health-conscious public, whose appetite for carbonated drinks is receding.

The campaign, created by Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest, uses Coke's
iconic bottle shape as an outline, but gives equal prominence to a wide
range of the company's fruit juice and water brands.

The multimillion-pound 'World of refreshment' campaign will run across

consumer lifestyle titles, on the illuminated sign in London's
Piccadilly Circus, and online at www.refreshinglife.co.uk. TV activity
is not planned, although Coca-Cola is not ruling it out.

One supermarket buyer warned that it could be 'dangerous' to associate
all 19 brands with Coke because of health concerns.

A senior marketer at a rival drinks firm claimed a multi-product
approach would help Coke avoid censure over health concerns about sports
sponsorship.

An industry analyst added that the ads would help Coca-Cola trade off
its 'brand icon status'.

In the past three months sales of Coke-owned carbonates have grown in a
sector that is in overall decline.