Coca-Cola Expedition 206:

Client: Coca-ColaAgency: Fast Horse

Situation: Problem: To create a campaign with compelling content for

young people worldwide who actively use online venues. Opportunity: Harness the power of digital culture Opportunity: Engage worldwide audience via mediaOpportunity: Generate positive word-of-mouth experience

ResearchConsumer studies:

Coke consumers actively engaged in online programs show higher brand loyalty.31% - “Like” Coke43% - “Love” Coke 68% - “Exclusively Love” Coke

Desire to create innovative program to engage global consumers online.

ResearchCoca-Coca Happiness Institute

Conducted study involving interviews Worked closely with psychologists Secondary research that lead to happiness Happiness and the smaller things in life

ObjectivesTarget audience:

Teens 20-somethings

Create worldwide engagement with Generation Y Increase a global brand awareness

Information Objectives“To seek out what makes young people happy in different

cultures and document it all online – leveraging every faucet of social media to generate an on-going dialogue. While creating unique media relations and local market activation opportunities around the globe.”

365 Days, 206 Countries, 1 Mission

Attitudinal & Behavioral Objectives Involve consumers in worldwide vote

Select Happiness Ambassadors Group chosen to reflect diversity of Coke’s global audience

Allow ownership and engaging consumers throughout the year-long expedition

Output ObjectiveShowcase personalities of ambassadors throughout 206

countries via the happiness initiative Engage consumers prior to the journey Involve multiple audiences

leveraging global marketing & communication teamsEstablish deadline

365 Days spanning 206 countries

Programming: StrategiesLaunch campaign quickly to put it on map

Engage consumers before journey begins

MediaControlled media

Press releases News articles Commercials

Uncontrolled media Social media coverage Ambassadors’ personal videos

Budget

What is the budget? Flights Hotels Food Safety Everyday needs

Evaluation: Objective #1 “Create compelling content for and increase

engagement with teens and 20-somethings worldwide” 900+ blog posts and online news stories Excitement is truly global

75% voters – Outside the U.S.900,000 website views since launch (6.5 minutes per

visitor)

Evaluation: Objective #2“Secure positive global blog and media coverage for a

program that can be activated in each country” 400 media outlets before team hit road

Associated Press, BBC, LA Times, Telemundo, etc. 4,300+ media stories after completion

775 million media impressions

Evaluation: Objective #3 “Increase brand affinity and brand love among teens and

20-somethings”Made it to only 186 countries

Travel LogisticsNew crop of global brand ambassadors“Innovator of the year” from TravelCom“Campaign of the Month” PR Week – Jan. 2010

Questions not addressed

What did some of these outlets say about campaign? Positive and Negative

Ambassadors not able to make complete trip Why wasn’t there a Plan B?

Why was the website taken down? Directs to Coca-Cola’s blog website

What other corporations contributed? Safety concerns Contracts with Ambassadors? Ambassadors after-thoughts?

PR Model Used Two-way symmetrical

Resolves conflict/promotes understand and respect Coca-Cola and it’s stakeholders

Negotiate with its’ public

Publics

Large audience

“Expedition 206” UpdateTo this day –

“Expedition 206”- Coca-Cola’s biggest social media campaign"Good for Coke, they totally get it! Building a brand is all

about connecting with people’s feelings and associating the product with the right image that resonates with their audience."

– Commenter on Mashable.com"Coca-Cola is using social media to make the brand not only

about consumers but extremely accessible to them, as well."- Student-run Emerging Media & The Market blog