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COCA COLA COMPANY: “HAPPINESS BOOTH” CAMPAIGN, DUBAI

CONTENT

The Coca-Cola “Happiness Booth” campaign is one of the many endeavors launched by the

company that embodies a perfect balance between the company’s responsibilities towards its

stakeholders and the society. The aforementioned campaign was launched on May 12, 2014 in

Dubai, UAE and was chiefly popularized through internet media. Essentially, the campaign talks

about the dubious quality of life of the daily wage laborers who immigrate to Dubai from South-

East Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc., to work as construction workers.

Leaving their families behind, these workers move to Dubai with a dream to make some money

so that they can offer a better quality of life to their kinfolks. Considering the excessively high

cost of living in Dubai and their average daily pay of only 6 USD, it gets very difficult for these

workers to save any money. To add to their woes, the international call rates in Dubai are as high

as 0.91 USD per minute, making it nearly impossible for these laborers to break words with their

families on a regular basis. Coca-Cola Company was he first to acknowledge the fact and react

towards it. The company came up with the concept of telephone booths, called the “Happiness

Booths”, wherein the workers could make international calls and get in touch with their families

nearly free of cost. The big idea behind the telephone booth concept was that the company

transformed the Coca-Cola bottle caps into currency for “Happiness Booth” phones. The users

were required to insert a bottle cap of the Coca-Cola bottle into the machine, which allowed

them to make international call by offering them 3 minutes of talk-time per bottle cap. Since the

inception of this campaign, almost 234,484 minutes of international calls have been made, at a

rate lot cheaper than that levied by the telecom companies in Dubai. This has helped the workers

not only to save some more money but also boosted their moral by helping them stay in touch

with their loved ones. Not overlooking the obvious, the company has made a butt-load of money

since their sales have gone up substantially high, making it a win-win situation for all.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The target audience for this campaign, as set by the company, is very extensive. The company

proposes to cater to the immediate needs of the construction workers in Dubai. The company

acknowledges the incapability of these workers to afford such high international call rates. Thus,

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to serve this particular cause, the company came up with this unique concept. However, the

“Happy Booths”, which have primarily been established with an intention to serve the

construction workers in Dubai, can be used by anyone who consumes the Coca-Cola beverage.

This campaign made the labor camp tenants better off temporarily. But they’re not the main

target audience. As a matter of fact, this campaign is aimed at the lot of us that are

standing around discussing this online, offline, everywhere.

POSITIONING

The company is trying to position itself as a socio- centric organization that takes great interest in

the lives of their consumers. It does not see the consumers just as money minting tools.

Through this campaign, the company is trying to bring home the fact that with a little inclination

and sensitization towards the betterment of the society, holistic development can be achieved

which proves to be beneficial to both the parties. Through this campaign, the company is trying

empower the deprived section of the society. Even though the construction workers in Dubai

may not be its most promising consumers of the company’s products, the company is still willing

to travel an extra mile to fulfill its share of contribution towards the society. It is trying to create

an image of a consumer centric organization, in the minds of the prospects.

IMPACT ON CONSUMERS

Prior to this venture, the construction workers in Dubai had to pay almost a dollar per minute to

make international calls back home. With an average income of mere 6 USD per day, phone calls

were very rare. However, after the establishment of the “Happiness Booths”, the construction

workers could have the same pleasure of talking to their families for 3 minutes for nearly free of

cost, since the machine uses Coca-Cola bottle caps as currency. Even if they had to buy coca

cola especially with an intention of making calls, it would cost them just for 54 cents, which is

the cost of one bottle of coke in Dubai, in return of which they will be awarded three times the

time than usual. This campaign has had a direct impact on the lives of the construction workers

of Dubai and an indirect impact on the lives of its consumers world-wide who have been

discussing this campaign both online and offline, by presenting a more humanitarian image of

the company in the eyes of its consumers.

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TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

The primary objective of the company was to lower down the cost burden of making

international calls, which was burning a hole in the pockets of the construction workers. To

achieve the aforementioned, they nearly eliminated the cost factors form the equation by

inventing phone booths that take bottle caps as currency. The company came up with specially

designed mobile telephone booths which were placed near the construction camps. The phones in

there booths were uplinked with the satellite, so as to offer a seamless experience and to make

the calls cost effective. The company also holds international patients of the “Happiness Booth”

design and the technology employed in it.

COMPETITION

The Middle East is a challenging market for global soft drink makers Pepsi and Coca-Cola: the

region displays mouth-watering specifics (a fast growing, young and wealthy population;

restricted alcohol consumption; warm weather all year long…) but also demonstrates sometimes

violent anti-American sentiments, boycotts, political instability, and politicized competitors

(Mecca Cola, Zam -Zam Cola). In 1967, the Middle East even turned a no-go area for Coca-Cola

after the Arab League boycotted the company because of ties with Israel, and remained so until

1991. It is the only part of the world where archrival Pepsi dominates. But Coca-Cola has been

back with a vengeance. Handicapped by its long absence, the red brand made its ambitious point

by quickly introducing half-liter bottles, re-sealable PET bottles and heat-resistant bottles,

adapted to small retail points not always equipped with state of the art refrigerating systems.

Some vendors were even treated to free fridges. This focus on both customers and retailers was

very much appreciated by the market. Since then the American super-brand has been on a trail to

restore its image which was once again damaged severely after America attacked on Iraq. The

company has come a long way since then and the “Happiness Booth” campaign was another step

in the humanitarian field by the company.

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IDEA: IDEA INTERNET NETWORK (IIN)

CONTENT

IDEA has always been very popular for its television advertisements, particularly for the

emotional appeal that the company inculcates in almost all of its promotional campaigns.

Adhering to that same approach, IDEA came up with a new set of television advertisements for

its mobile internet network, IIN (Idea Internet Network). The advertisement hit the television

media somewhere in mid-2014 and was featured on some of the most popular channels such as

Life OK, Colors, Star Sports, Star Plus, Star Gold, Star Movies and most of the news channels.

The respective 90 seconds advertisement talks about a teenager belonging to a middle class

family who, after his 12th

board exams, is looking for an admission in the IITs. As the

advertisement unfolds further, it is shown that owing to intense competition the boy fails to get

into any of the IITs. Upon knowing the fact, his father orders him to quit studies and asks the boy

to join him at work in a bakery. The advertisement rightly captures the emotional feelings of the

boy being left disappointed and disheartened after his failure and due to lack of support from his

father. This is the moment where the company introduces its product i.e. the IIN. It is further

shown that the boy starts helping his father at work, at the same time starts learning engineering

using the IIN (Idea Internet Network). Soon, the boy designs his own talking drone with the

knowledge that he gathers form the IIN (Idea Internet Network) and astonishes his father. Owing

to this overwhelming achievement he soon becomes a tending topic on national television where

he offers all the credit of his success to the IIN (Idea Internet Network) and proves his worth to

his father and everyone else, thus trying to motivate everyone to use IIN (Idea Internet Network)

and achieve anything and everything that they desire.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The target audience, as proposed by the company, is very refined. Through this particular

advertisement, the company is trying to target the teenagers who fail to make it to big-shot IITs

and get demotivated to study thereafter. With over 12 lakhs students appearing for the IIT exams

each year, and less than 10 thousand seats in all the IITs combined, the company finds itself in a

favorable position with such a humungous market to cater to. Also, the company acknowledges

the fact that it is comparatively easy to persuade the audience falling under this particular target

segment. This advertisement also has an indirect reflective impact on the students who come

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from other educational backgrounds as it showcases that one can learn anything and everything

from the different course available on the IIN if he/she has the desire to learn, thus further

amplifying the target market.

POSITIONING

The company is trying to position its Idea Internet Network (IIN) as a product that is one of a

kind, not in terms of features but in terms of usability. There are many other mobile internet

service providers, but through its Idea Internet Network (IIN) the company is trying to create an

image in the minds of the prospects that mobile internet network is not something that should

and can only be used for using social media applications, but for educational purposes also. Most

of the other telecom companies position their respective mobile internet networks as a product

that will help the customers to be in touch with their family and friends, however in addition to

fulfilling the aforementioned need, the IIN has an added advantage as it can also be used for

learning new stull and one can even build a career on it, as projected by the company. This

unique positioning strategy offers the company an edge over its competitors.

IMPACT ON THE CONSUMERS

This particular advertisement has had a deep rooting impact on the consumers. The number of

Idea internet users has increased substantially and is still rowing. Considering the add-on

features, the users have started shifting to IIN from other mobile internet service providers. The

success of this campaign can be marked by the fact that students from the IITs across the

countries have begun quitting the IITs and have started joining the IIN (Idea Internet Network).

Upon being asked, Sarthak Agarwal on of the toppers at IIT Kharagpur said that he completely

swept off his feet looking at the emotional appeal of the advertisement. The confidence and guts

that the protagonist in the advertisement projected and the look on the proud father’s face at the

end of the advertisement is what drove him to this decision of quitting IIT and joining the IIN.

He believes that he can be even more successful in accomplishing his aspirations at IIN in

comparison to what he would have done in the IITs. This belief is spreading like a wild fire and

students from all over the nation are joining this revolution.

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INNOVATION

Through the IIN, Idea has revolutionized the world of mobile internet networks and has also

offered a different perspective to the users regarding the same. Initially, most of the customers

used mobile internet for chatting, using social media applications, navigation purposes etc. The

service had still not been tested for its fitness in the educational sector. By introducing the

educational features to the service, the company has carved out a niche market for itself

comprising of customers who do not use mobile internet service for menial purposes. This

feature has been well received and is being appreciated by one and all.

COMPETITION

The Indian telecommunication market is a highly competitive and a nearly saturated market. In

context to mobile internet service providers, Idea faces intense competition from Vodafone,

Airtel, Aircel, Tata Docomo, Reliance etc. Most of the companies offered services that were

restricted merely to mobile internet surfing, chatting and stuff. However, Idea opened up an

entirely new dimension of mobile internet usage by introducing educational courses in it. Thus,

the company may have many potential competitors in terms of mobile internet service providers,

but faces no direct competition for its IIN network. Other companies are soon looking to venture

into the same and offer stiff competition to Idea.

FUTURE POSITIONING

After having positioned its IIN Network as service that had productive uses as well, in future

Idea can position its product that not only helps the users in gaining knowledge and building a

career upon, but also to that helps them in getting jobs. This will further add to the attraction of

the service, making it likable to an even wider group of users.