2015 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

Coca-Cola had the world’s lowest market share in Lebanon, an embarrassingly low 3%. People clearly didn’t identify with the brand. Our task was to introduce the Coke brand back into Lebanon using the global ‘Share a Coke’ campaign. But we needed a twist, something fresh to win over the hearts of the locals. We knew that November 22nd marks Lebanese Independence Day, and since the Lebanese people are a proud nation, we strategically launched our campaign while pride was at its highest. In an already cynical market, and as the underdogs, we had to engage with our audience win their trust. So we decided to do something they have always done – share. With sharing being the norm in Lebanon, the innate meaning of it had become lost. We invited our audience to name their happiness and make sharing personal again by simply dropping our name on the cans and giving them the chance to replace it with their own. Or their loved ones. Or family. Or friends. We turned the local love of sharing into a love for Coke.

The Brief

Our goals were as follows: • We wanted the Lebanese to re-connect with brand Coke, to realize what they were missing, when Coke for lack of a better word, was pretty much absent in the market. • Encourage people to make sharing more personal. By sharing a personalized Coke, they could put a very much-needed smile on a lot of people’s faces, and even bring them closer together.

Results

Purchase transactions increased 80%. Our audience really proved their love for the brand, since brand love went up 710%. The Share a Coke Lebanon TVC was aired on Lebanon’s most prominent channels and earned exposure on numerous shows including Hayda Hakeh and MTV to mention but a few. In the first three weeks, we received 1.8 million impressions on YouTube and 206 million via our #shareacokesawa hashtag on Twitter. Coca Cola's Twitter activity skyrocketed by 125%, despite having no paid boost; it became our number one platform for mentions. Our Facebook fanbase increased by 49%, and on Instagram, without having an official Coke presence on the platform due to a lack of operational support and budget, over 1,250 people flooded the platforms with photos of themselves and their friends sharing happiness. Bloggers, influencers and radio stations promoted the campaign. It’s been Coca-Cola’s most successful campaign in the Middle East. Ever.

Execution

We gave our audience the chance to name their happiness by dropping our name on the cans and giving them the chance to replace it with their own. At Junkyard - Beirut’s newest fresh and funky hangouts – we encouraged number of key influencers in the region to share a Coke. An exhibition of around 150 Coca-Cola limited edition bottles, courtesy of Lebanese collector Soha Attalah was on show and Arabic street art artist Ashekman took guests' names to create a special edition painting of “Share a Coke”, a one of a kind ‘Calligraffiti’ painting representing the Coke can written in more than 500 Arabic names! We created an artistic Christmas tree made from ‘Share a Coke’ cans. This 10 meter tall installation provided a focal point of Beirut Souks for over a month, and enabled Lebanon to enjoy the festive season with someone they love.

The Situation

We wanted to exemplify an already existing habit, being able to share those moments, and occasions with each other, enjoy your friends and share a bit of Coke optimism and happiness that can spread. A personalized Coke can has an allure and collectability about it, that makes the sharing gesture even more powerful.

The Strategy

The idea of sharing definitely comes naturally in Lebanon, from the very early days you are trained to never show up anywhere empty handed. No matter how formal or informal the gathering is, sharing something is a must. Sharing is a core value in Lebanon. The political and socioeconomic situation in Lebanon has been difficult on society, with differences creating clear boundaries and even areas of the city predetermined to each demographic. With such troubles around the people look to their time socializing together as an escape from that. By being able to share personalized Coke cans, we wanted to make the act of sharing much more meaningful and the extra effort to make the act personal, whether individually or to a group of friends will not go unnoticed. Coke as a brand tried to encourage sharing across the board.