Remember great Coke slogans like "It's the Real Thing" and "Always Coca-Cola"? They were considered advertising classics. Then the soft drink marketer switched gears and launched a series of
forgettable ads that were eviscerated by critics. Now the company is coming back with yet another new ad campaign that it hopes will restore luster to its brand and boost sagging sales. The effort is
scheduled to be unveiled this weekend during coverage of the NCAA Final Four in men's college basketball, and Coke plans to deploy the ads in other countries this summer. The campaign was created by
Portland, Ore., agency Wieden + Kennedy and carries the slogan "The Coke Side of Life." Much is riding on the campaign's success. Sales of Coca-Cola Classic in the U.S. fell 2 percent by volume last
year, contributing to a 10 percent sales decline for the brand over the past five years. The new effort includes outdoor ads and online promotions as well as television. Last year, the company boosted
its $2 billion global marketing budget by $400 million. Ad spending on Coca-Cola Classic in the U.S., the world's largest soft-drink market, fell to $124 million last year, down from $210 million in
2000, according to TNS Media Intelligence.
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