What we can learn from this campaign:
Don’t just tell a story, be a story. If you want to create an inspirational ad campaign that truly moves people, you need to also find a way to make that story happen in real life. Get involved with your community or find ways to show how your clients give back to theirs.
Certainly, not all of us have the reach or budget that Coke is working with, but by learning from some really amazing marketing campaigns they’ve created, we can learn how to be even better marketers and advertisers than we are now. In fact, even Coke realizes the value of learning from others and being open to new ideas.
On March 23, 2015, the brand asked 10 different agencies from around the world to pitch ideas for its next global campaign. Despite the fact that their current campaign, “Open Happiness,” is still doing well, they are always looking to improve and drive growth. This is undoubtedly a contributing factor to the company’s many advertising successes, and is a great goal for any business.
Although most companies do not have the budget or the reach to get ideas from 10 different agencies, most have the ability to ask at least 10 different employees. If your marketing efforts are usually confined to one department, consider getting some fresh perspectives on your company’s image and strategy. Not all of your employees will have the skills to fully develop and launch a campaign, but they certainly know what your company is like and what its values are.
This could be as simple as asking one or two people for suggestions, or as complex as a company-wide contest for who can come up with the best new campaign idea. Either way, as these famous advertising campaigns have shown us, it can’t hurt to get those who know your brand best involved in informing others about it.
If there are any remarkable Coke campaigns I’ve left out, or ones you’ve personally taken advertising lessons from, feel free to let me know in the comments!