• by Danielle Oster , April 8, 2024

Continuing a history of Disney collaborations going back around 60 years, Coca-Cola has reunited with Disney’s Marvel franchise for a global “Coca-Cola x Marvel: The Heroes” initiative.

The campaign is centered around packaging featuring 38 illustrations of Marvel characters, digital collectable characters, an AR extension through Coca-Cola’s website, and promotional giveaways. A global initiative, the specialty packaging will be available in more than 50 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, China, Japan and the Asia Pacific region.

A hero ad kicks off the campaign centered around a bottle of Coca-Cola featuring myriad Marvel characters, without any spoken dialogue. In addition to the ad, which will run across TV, cinema, and other video sharing platforms, the cross-platform global campaign will also include digital and out-of-home initiatives.

The precise timeline of the campaign’s duration is unclear, but Marvel's upcoming “Deadpool & Wolverine” is slated for a July 26 theatrical release, making it hard to imagine it wouldn’t continue into the summer. A spokesperson for Coca-Cola told Marketing Daily that the campaign will premiere over the next couple of months, with launches on a “rolling basis” across different markets globally, but did not provide further details.

Beginning April 8, specialty packaging featuring 38 different illustrations will appear across both Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. The line will feature cans and bottles with more than 30 different Marvel Universe heroes and villains illustrated with a white, red, and black color palette, which seems to align with brand design for both brands. Packaging is also designed to be scannable, bringing each of the designs to life through AR experiences.

The packaging also connects consumers to promotional sweepstakes offering a chance to win a series of prizes, including a Disney cruise, Marvel movie screenings,  autographed Marvel memorabilia, and a Disney+ subscription.

The list of characters includes Wolverine, Deadpool and Nick Fury for Coca-Cola, and Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America and Doctor Strange for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.

 “This latest collaboration with Marvel allows us to tap into the legacy and affinity for both brands to deliver consumers new and unexpected experiences.”, Islam ElDessouky, global head of creative strategy and content for Coca-Cola Trademark, said in a statement.