Coca-Cola VanillaFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCoca-Cola Vanilla

TypeVanilla flavoredCola

ManufacturerThe Coca-Cola Company

Country of originUnited States

Introduced1950s as afountain drink2002 as packaged

VariantsDiet Vanilla Coke, Coke Vanilla Zero

Related productsCoca-Cola,Diet Coke,Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla,Coca-Cola Cherry,Coca-Cola with Lime

Coca-Cola Vanillais avanillaflavored version ofCoca-Colasoft drinkintroduced in the early 2000s. It was introduced in 2002 but subsequently discontinued inNorth Americaand theUnited Kingdomin 2006, but remained available as fountain drink during that time. It was relaunched in the U.S. in 2007 and in the UK in 2013. Coca-Cola announced that it would be Limited Edition in the UK, however due to strong sales, it is now staying within the UK Beverage market, becoming a permanent flavor.In 2003,Pepsiintroduced Pepsi Vanilla to compete with Vanilla Coke.Contents[hide] 1Development 2Marketing campaign 3Distribution 3.1Reception and discontinuation 4Product information 4.1Nutritional 4.2Packaging 4.3Varieties 5Notes 6External linksDevelopment[edit]Ordinary Coca-Cola already contains small amounts of vanilla. The history of adding additional vanilla flavoring to Coca-Cola, at least in the US, dates back at least to the 1940s when local soda fountain workers (soda jerks) would upon request add a "shot" (roughly two tablespoons) of vanilla syrup to a (12-16oz) Coca-Cola fountain soda. For decades, this remained common practice in ice cream shops where vanilla syrup and Coca-Cola were both available. The Coca-Cola Company first tested a Coca-Cola blend with extra vanilla flavoring at the 1982World's FairinKnoxville, Tennessee.[1]After the introduction ofCherry Cokeand the failure ofNew Coke, the company was hesitant to introduce anything radically new. It was not until early April 2002 that rumors began to circulate that the company was planning a new variation to their classic soft drink. The Coca-Cola Company was tight lipped regarding the details of the new beverage, commenting to aLondonbased newspaper, "We've always got a number of things in development," leaving open speculation for what was to develop.[2]It was later revealed that testing for a vanilla flavor had been completed and that the new beverage would be available in months. However, in late April 2002 the company announced that Vanilla Coke would be produced as early as May.[3]Marketing campaign[edit]The marketing campaign for Vanilla Coke aimed to appeal across all generations. Yolanda Ball, brand manager for Coca-Cola Classic, said, "We had to learn how to balance the newness of vanilla with the established qualities of Coca-Cola".[4]Vanilla Coke debuted at theVanilla Bean Caf, locally known as "the Bean," in Pomfret, Connecticut. The diet variety would be directed primarily at women. The first public tasting of Vanilla Coke took place in theBuckheaddistrict ofAtlantaat the Three Dollar Cafe with Atlanta radio stationQ100and their morning hosts from The Bert Show.One of the first notable advertisements was atelevisionad created byThe Martin Agencywhich was based upon the product's original campaign line of "Reward Your Curiosity". The ad featured actorChazz Palminteri, in which he and another man pull a teenager (played by a youngAaron Paul) into an alley after catching him peering into a hole. Palminteri gives the boy a Vanilla Coke, as a reward for hiscuriosity. Their former website rewardyourcuriosity.com went along with the campaign and drew a large interest at the time. (In thePhilippineversion of the ad, Palminteri's role was done by the late actorJohnny Delgado.) Ms. Ball described the ad: "We were trying to create something new and intriguing . . . half of it was about new, different and change of pace, and the rest of it was about how people love and trust Coca-Cola. But we didn't have to sayNew from Coca-Cola. We didn't have to hit them over the head with it."[4]Distribution[edit]The company began mass-producing Vanilla Coke on 15 May 2002. The Coca-Cola Company announced in early 2002 that Vanilla Coke would be introduced initially in the United States with distribution starting May 15, 2002, followed by a rollout in Canada. The introduction of vanilla flavor was hailed by The Coca-Cola Company as "the greatest innovation since Diet Coke in 1983".[5]It also marked the 116th anniversary of the Coca-Cola Company.[6]Later that year, it was introduced to theNorwegian,Swedish, andIcelandicmarkets of Europe. This was the first Coca-Cola variety introduced inNorwaysinceCoca-Colaitself in 1937 andCoca-Cola Lightin 1983.[7]As of 2003, Vanilla Coke was marketed in several European countries as well as Australia and New Zealand (in mid-to-late-2002). By late 2003, the company had marketed Vanilla Coke in over 30 countries around the globe.Reception and discontinuation[edit]Its inaugural year in 2002 saw its best sales. It is estimated that the product was purchased by about 29% of all United States households that year. It still remains popular along with its flavored partner, Cherry Coca Cola.[8]Doubt was cast over the future of Vanilla Coke and its splinter beverages when the company announced the 2004 sales figures: 35 million unit cases inNorth Americacompared to 90 million in 2002; Vanilla Diet Coke dropped from 23 million unit cases in its inaugural year (2003) to 13 in 2004.[9]

A 1.25L bottle from Australia.In November 2005, after slumping sales, The Coca-Cola Company announced that Vanilla Coke would be discontinued inNorth AmericaandGreat Britainby the end of the year.[9]Coca-Cola introducedBlack Cherry Vanilla Cokeand Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke in North America in January 2006. At the time, the company said Vanilla Coke and Diet Vanilla Coke would possibly be made available again in the future:[9]"We are exploring ways to bring them back at another time, but right now Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke and Black Cherry Vanilla Coke are what consumers are telling us they want."[10]Vanilla Coke beverages were never discontinued in some markets, such as Australia, France, Russia, Malaysia, and Germany.From 19 February 2007, Vanilla Coke was re-introduced into New Zealand.[11]The official re-introduction of Vanilla Coke in the US began May 25, 2007 at theWorld of Coca-ColaMuseum inAtlanta, Georgia. The Coca-Cola Company announced a partnership withEdy's Ice Creamto co-advertise with Coke on the launch, and featured a 10-ton Vanilla Coke float, which was certified by theGuinness World Recordsas the largestice cream floatin the world.[12]A Coca-Cola Vanilla Zero has also been introduced. The re-released Coca-Cola Vanilla features a new packaging design. The advertising campaign for the revival used an instrumental cover of "Welcome Back". In 2007, Vanilla Coke was also introduced into China. It was also introduced in other countries in Europe and Asia. In June 2010, certain convenience stores in Ontario, Canada have re-introduced it by importing it from the neighbouring United States. Coca-Cola has made Coke Vanilla available in their Freestyle beverage machine in Canada, however, bottled and canned versions are not yet available.

Advert celebrating the re-launch of Coca-Cola Vanilla on the side of a double-decker bus in London.Coca-Cola initially stated that it had no plans to return Coca-Cola Vanilla to the United Kingdom despite high demand. Several enquiries were made throughout 2011 and 2012. Coca Cola then thought about returning Vanilla Coca-Cola to the United Kingdom sooner or later. They eventually announced[citation needed]that they would definitely bring the beverage back to the United Kingdom in the future, some time soon, which was predicted mid-2012, or early-2013. Coca Cola announced that the vanilla flavor would be for sale in the UK from March 2013, after the flavour's success on theCoca-Cola Freestylerefillable machine inBurger King.[citation needed]It was reintroduced on March as part ofPapa Johnspromotion campaign before becoming available elsewhere.[citation needed]There are no plans for Coca-Cola Vanilla to return to the Republic of Ireland, as stated by Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola have stated that the market for the beverage is not large enough for it to make a return to the Republic of Ireland. In May 2013, Coca-Cola Vanilla appeared in stores inRomania(imported), expanding to more stores through the year, due to demand, while there is still no official word from Coca-Cola. In July 2013, the drink re-appeared in stores aroundBelgiumand theNetherlandsas well. In October 2013, Coca-Cola Vanilla appeared in stores inCzech RepublicandSlovakia.Product information[edit]Nutritional[edit]Average quantityper 12 oz(~355 mL)per 100 mL(~3.4 oz)

Energy150 calories44 calories

Protein0 g0 g

Fat, total0 g0 g

- saturated0 g0 g

Carbohydrates41.3 g11.0 g

- sugars40.9 g10.9 g

Sodium35mg10mg

Packaging[edit]

2007 U.S. Vanilla Coke bottles.Vanilla Coke was packaged in standard bottles in accordance with appropriate Coca-Cola packaging. For a brief period of time in mid-2003, the bottles that Vanilla Coke came in, which had before saidVanilla Coke, were changed simply toV(which matchedCherry Coke's new labeling showing a picture of a cherry).Varieties[edit] Coca-Cola Vanilla (2002-2006 and 2007present) Coca-Cola Vanilla Zero (2007present) Diet Coke Vanilla (2002-2006)In late 2002, a sugar-free version,Diet Vanilla Coke, became available. In some countries, including Australia andNew Zealand, a similar drink is marketed as "Diet Coke with Vanilla" and in others is known as Coca-Cola light Vanilla (or Vanilla Coke Light) In 2005, the sugar-free product in the United States andCanadabecame "Diet Coke Vanilla," with more emphasis on the Diet Coke label. All varieties were discontinued in 2006 in the United States, Canada and theUnited Kingdom. Both varieties are still available inAustraliaandHong Kong, Coca-Cola Vanille (translation) is also available in France and Germany. A new Coke Vanilla Zero was introduced in 2007, along with regular Vanilla. Only these two are available in the United States. The company has not announced any plan to resume production of Diet Vanilla Coke.

Vanilla Coke Aims At Thirsty Metro Youth MarketNew Delhi, April 7 | Published: Apr 08 2004, 00:00 ISTPrint0G +00SU0Comments0Its been dangling the Rs 5 carrot for some time now with its Paanch strategy articulated aggressively by film star and Coke endorser Aamir Khan. But not anymore. Coca-Cola India (CCI) plans to move up the price ladder with the launch of Vanilla Coke. This is the first new flavour extension of the Coca-Cola brand in the country, launched on Wednesday in the Capital.The brand targeted at the metro youth will be priced at a premium of Re 1 over the flagship cola brand Coca-Cola once launched in returnable glass bottles (RGBs) of 200-ml (pricing it at Rs 6 as against Rs 5) and 300 ml (Rs 7 as against Rs 6), CCI officials told FE. For now, the brand has been launched in 500-ml PET bottles, priced at Rs 15.The 200 and 300-ml RGBs will be launched a little later as we are currently running short of production, CCI president and CEO Sanjiv Gupta said. The RGBs, he said, will be sleeved with the Vanilla Coke logo.CCIs reason for price increase is that the brand is targetted at the metro youth who as per CCIs research, has shown a stronger affinity towards innovative new launches. We feel theres an opportunity for innovation in carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) to connect with the metro youth, Mr Gupta said. The Rs 5 strategy was initially launched for the rural segment, he added.

- FE Photo by Raaj DayalVanilla Coke is being launched in select markets of 10 million population and 17 mm population markets which alone account for 30-35 per cent of total CSD sales.Interestingly, CSD variants failure (both by arch rival PepsiCo India and CCI) in the past is not deterring the soft drink major from experimenting with innovation. Pepsi, in 2002, had launched two brand extensions of its flagship cola brand Pepsi Aha and Pepsi Blue. While the former was phased out owing to its slow offtake in the marketplace, the latter was launched in 2003 as a limited edition to coincide with the World Cup and bring excitement in the soft drinks market. Prior to that, the company also launched an apple variant of its Mirinda brand which was later discontinued. CCI, too, had tested launched variants of Fanta brand which were later phased out.Admitting that variants havent done too well in the past, Mr Gupta said: Its true that variants go up and then go out but lets see to what extent Vanilla Coke goes up.ExcerptsConsumer ResponseVanilla Coke failed to excite the Indian palate. A survey carried out by a national business daily in India revealed that 67% of the respondents felt that Vanilla Coke was not successful. 32% believed it was the least successful brand launch of the year. Only a quarter of the respondents in the ninth Brand Derby (the survey) considered Vanilla Coke to be one of the successful brands launches of 2004...ConclusionCoke officials maintained that the product had been launched after rigorous consumer testing had shown the vanilla taste to be distinct and popular with consumers....

Monday, December 18, 2006Vanilla Coke : WakawBrand :Vanilla CokeCompany: Coca ColaAgency: McCann EricksonBrand Count : 178

Vanilla Coke was touted as the greatest innovation since Diet Coke in 1983. It also has the distinction of the greatest flops after the New Coke. Vanilla Coke came with a bang in the Indian market in April 2004. It went without much noise in 2005.

The history of this product variant dates back as early as 1950's. The mass marketing of this variant began in 2002.The brand went global in 2004.2004 saw the unusual scream " Wakaw" played across mass media. We all looked up in awe : a brand new variant from Coca Cola : Vanilla Coke. The brand was targeted at the metro youth was different. It was different in taste, promotion, package, price etc.Vanilla Coke was promoted in retro style. The brand had Vivek Oberoi , the then bollywood flame endorsing the brand in an unusual style. Vivek sported the retro look with typical combination of Elvis style + Shammi Kapoor style in an Old Lamby Scooter screaming Wakaw.The ads were surely clutter breaking and backed by 360 degree branding efforts that ensured good publicity. The creative done by the famed Prasoon Joshi was discussed in all media and that ensured truck loads of free publicity. The brand also got into viral marketing. The campaign along with Contenst2win asked the customers to SMS Wakaw to 8558 inorder to win goodies. According to media reports, the campaign resulted in 440,000 SMS in just 4 weeks creating a record of sorts.

According to Indiatelevision.com report, the media brief given to the agency was to create a clutter breaking campaign targeted at youth. The campaign should create a dhamaka in the market. And rightly so all the client requirements was achieved with in a short span of time.

But how come a product with such a good start failed so easily. With in one year, the brand has been taken out from most of the Indian states. The brand is said to be available in Gujarat,Kolkatta and Delhi.As a marketing person, I am also perplexed. Frankly I liked the ad the feel and wanted to try it out. But soon the product was not at all available. The failure of this product line extension may have delighted Alries and Trout .

I am assuming that the following factors may have caused the failure of this brand.

a. The product may have been bad. The TG may not have liked the taste. Although Coke has test marketed this product, there is always a chance that the customers may have disliked the taste.b.The campaign was not targeted at the right segment. This campaign had its fair share of critics also. I liked the campaign because I have seen the old stars and the lamby etc and could easily relate the old characters and the concept. But for a twenty year old, he may not relate or understand the concept. The brand may have lost out in that respect.c. The brand was priced at a premium over the ordinary coke. This may have discouraged the TG from checking out the brand. Together with the retro campaign not clicking with the intended audience may have given a double whammy for the brand.d. Indian SD industry is a duopoly. Pepsi and Coke rule the roast and there are brand loyal on both sides. The new variant will be tested first by the Coke loyal and not the Pepsi loyal. Hence like most of the Product line extensions, the variant will be pitted against the mother brand. Hence the customers may have compared the new variant with the classic coke and not as a new drink. And surely the classic coke won .These are all assumptions because I am still confused.The failure of Vanilla Coke is a classic case that proves that Marketing is not a perfect science. There are no formula or theory that can make a brand successful. To Quote Kotler " Marketing is easy to teach and understand but difficult to practice".

source:agencyfaqs,indiatelevision.com,wikipedia,magindia,businessline

The VC CaseCoca-Cola Goes Vanilla AgainBy Carla CampbellPrefaceVanilla-flavored cola from the Coca-Cola Company has had an uneven journey throughout the last few years.It is an interesting story and is the basis for this case study written by former UT graduate student, Carla Campbell.About ten years ago, in response to strong competitive moves, Coca-Cola began aggressively exploring flavored drinks.One of the companys moves was the introduction of Vanilla Coke in 2002.While experiencing strong early sales, the company pulled the plug on the line extension in 2005, acknowledging that while a hard-core group of consumers enjoyed the taste, not all of the marketing elements worked well together.In other words, it was time to rethink Vanilla Coke.However, in May 2007, the Coca-Cola Company decided to bring back its vanilla-flavored line extension, calling it Coca-Cola Vanilla.The new product was introduced along with a Coca-Cola Vanilla Zero version as well. For this case study, we are going to be concentrating only on the Coca-Cola Vanilla reintroduction and not the Zero extension.In this case, we are asking you to once again step back in time (for only about three months) to help Coca-Cola with the development of its initial message/creative strategy for Coca-Cola Vanilla.Best of luck..Coca-Cola Vanilla certainly needs it.It is very challenging to resurrect previously failed line products.The Story of Vanilla CokeBackgroundPrior to reviewing the Vanilla Coke story, let us review some background about the company itself.Coca-Cola is the leading producer and marketer of soft drinks.The company markets four of the worlds top five soft drink brands, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta, and Sprite.Through the worlds largest distribution system, consumers in nearly 200 countries enjoy Coca-Cola products at a rate of more than 1 billion servings each day.The companys flagship brand is one of the most universally identifiable products.In a 1995 study of symbols, the Landor organization found that the Coca-Cola name is the most widely recognized commercial symbol in the world, and the expression Coca-Cola is second only to OK as being widely recognized.The Coca-Cola Company has enjoyed a long and successful history; however, it has made mistakes.Fierce competition and category saturation contributed to financial woes experienced in Coca-Colas beverage and soft drink divisions.Though success has not always come easy or cheap, Coca-Cola has maintained a large loyal consumer base.As an icon in America and around the world, the company can be credited for listening to and catering to the requests and needs of its consumers.This is why its attempt to launch new flavors must be carefully considered to ensure not only acceptance by the target market but continued loyalty to the brand.The Cola War:Coke vs. PepsiWhile Coke and Pepsi are the major league players in the soft drink competition and by far have seen the most success, both have struggled in competition with each other.Both Coke and Pepsi have begun to talk less about brands and more about trademarks.For instance, in a letter, Pepsi North America president Gary Rodkin refers to Pepsi trademark and cites Diet Pepsi, Wild Cherry Pepsi, and Pepsi Twist among products sharing the Pepsi banner.Coke bottlers state that Cherry Coke would be more tightly integrated with Coke trademark.The future for product introductions would likely be an attempt to build trademarks with an array of line extensions such as Mt. Dew Code Red, Pepsi Twist, Diet Coke with Lemon and Vanilla Coke.One industry executive suggests that the beverage world is looking more and more like the auto industry by saying, Several decades ago, there were a few, and a very few, individual items for sale under the Chevy and Ford names.But now, look.There are sedans, compacts, sports cars, SUVs, vans, etc. Dont be surprised to see our industry go the same way, at least to a degree.The year 2002 was expected to be a busy one for Coke with many upcoming product innovations.It was trying to reciprocate the blow that Pepsi gave the company last year, taking more market share away from the leader.Pepsi was also expected to roll out new products, but at a much slower pace because of an active year in 2001 with the introduction of Mt. Dew Code Red, Sierra Mist, etc.Each company was expected to battle it out for increases in market share.Coca-Cola, though maintaining a strong lead, would have liked to have seen a reversal from the pattern of the previous years figures, as shown in the following table.

Flavor InnovationsCoca-Cola was looking for new ways to sell and diversify a century-old product with formula spin-offs.Coke executives stated, weve always got a number of things in development.The issue then, was how to market effectively the items that make it past development and would be accepted into the Coca-Cola family of beverages.The last major alteration to the original formula came in 1985, when Cherry Coke was introduced.Since that time, it has performed considerably well.Ironically, this was also the same year that New Coke, a sweeter version of the original, was launched and failed due to consumer outrage.The 99-year old traditional recipe was once again adopted under a new name, Coca-Cola Classic, to satisfy demand.Vanilla Coke was a line extension of Coca-Cola and was available in the same bottle and can configuration and sold for the same prices as Coke.There seemed to be a lot of consumer interest in the notion of vanilla, stated Chris Lowe, Cokes senior vice president of worldwide brands and marketing.When we put it in product form, the consumers came away and said This tastes super.Though focus groups liked the product, Mr. Lowe commented that it was too soon to predict the profitability of the product among consumers.At the time, he described the taste as a little bit smoother than Coca-Cola Classic, with just a hint of vanilla.Testing has shown that the public was interested in the new vanilla flavor.Consumers were excited about the idea of Vanilla Coke, and we are pleased to give them what they want, said Doug Daft, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.Excite.com conducted its own poll, and of 12,502 participants, 38% were very interested, 28% somewhat interested, 25% not at all interested, and 3% werent sure while 7% didnt care.Mr. Steve Hutcherson, vice-president for Coke Classic, claimed that research showed that teenagers liked the product.The practice of adding vanilla to the soft drink in soda fountains appeals to older generations, as well.It has a broad range of appeal all the way from teens to young adults and adults, said Chris Lowe.Vanilla seems to cross the generational gap the same way that Coca-Cola does.This vanilla-flavored introduction was of major concern for the company, because Coke is such an icon and the mess that resulted from the introduction of New Coke was regarded as an act not to be repeated.It was under the same pressure from Pepsi that Coca-Cola made the decision to alter its original soda and replace it with a sweeter one.The change sparked outrage in America where generations had been bombarded with advertising convincing them that Coca-Cola was an integral part of life, similar to baseball and apple pie.Vanilla Coke continued the company's leadership in flavor innovation in the cola category, first with Diet Coke in 1982, then Cherry Coke in 1985, Diet Coke with Lemon in 2001, and then Vanilla Coke. Prior to the intro, Doug Daft, chairman and CEO, called the introduction of Vanilla Coke "very exciting news that will continue to grow our business, in line with our company's priority to accelerate the growth in carbonated soft drinks, led by Coca-Cola."

Vanilla Coke was introduced in the United States in mid-May 2002, and in Canada in late May. The company supported the rollout withtelevision, radio and outdoor advertising.In accordance with market research, Vanilla Coke was aimed mainly at young adults, people in their late teens and early 20s, Lowe said. At the same time, he explained, a mainstream soft drink brand must target a broad swath of consumers, and Vanilla Coke will do that.With Vanilla Coke, the company hoped to replicate the success of rival PepsiCos Code Red, a red version of its Mountain Dew soda.Analysts say such line extensions typically offer an easy method of enhancing sales.Though the introduction of Vanilla Coke was officially announced in April 2002, there was still speculation of a Sprite line extension later in the year. Executives at Coke noted the likelihood of such, but downplayed the word Red Sprite.Coke did file for trademarks on Sprite Remix and Remix, which indicated the possible names that the company planed to use for the new formula.Pepsi also applied for a trademark on Mountain Dew Blue Shock, however, contrary to the speculation that this would be an addition to Code Red, trademark filing indicated that the product would be a frozen beverage.Pepsi executives reassured that cola innovation would be seen from Pepsi, but did not state specific product line extensions.Bottlers did not expect major innovation for Cadburys carbonated products.The only noted change would be an introduction of caffeine-free Sun Drop.Cadburys focus in 2002 was on building Dr. Pepper and returning it to growth.Pepsis Climb to FameThe first extension of Pepsi-Cola came in 1964 with Diet Pepsi.The industrys first diet drink, Diet Pepsi targeted mostly women who were fashion and health conscious.The next product variation from Pepsi came in 1975 with Pepsi Light.This version was a diet cola that had lemon flavoring added.Ironically, this first venture with the lemon flavor did not see the success that is currently being enjoyed by Pepsi Twist and production was stopped after only a few promotions.During the 1960s Pepsi invested its future in the youth of America with the discovery of the purchasing power that the baby boomers held.The company changed slogans numerous times in the following decades:Now its Pepsi, for those who think youngearly 60sPepsi Generation1963Taste that beats the others cold, Pepsi pours it on1967Youve got a lot to live, Pepsis got a lot to give1969Join the Pepsi people, feelin free1973Have a Pepsi Day!1976Catch that Pepsi spirit1979Pepsis got your taste for life1981Pepsi has also built strong advertising ties with those in theentertainmentindustry.In the 1980s, Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie, and Michael J. Fox were part of the companys marketing strategy.In the 1990s Fred Savage, Billy Crystal, and Ray Charles were introduced into the mix.Now the company is reaping profits from ads featuring Britney Spears.Pepsi outsold Coca-Cola in store sales for the first time in 1976.And though Pepsi put pressure on Coke in the mid-80s after acquiring the Burger King chain, the failure of New Coke led to the creation of several brand extensions that ultimately increased Cokes market share.Therefore, the battle for market share in the soft drink industry has shifted from allied brands, such as Mountain Dew and Slice or Mellow Yellow and Fanta, to extensions of the flagship brand.Through excellent placement and advertising, Pepsi has gained a solid reputation for quality and unique flavoring.Pepsi has created a distinct personality for itself.Though it appears that the company lives in the shadow of its leading competitor, Pepsi has a strong, loyal customer base and that along with flashy advertising, is likely to remain one of Pepsis most valuable assets for years to come.Coca-Colas Advertising HistoryAsa Candler, one of the early company owners of the Coca-Cola Company, is credited for emphasizing the power of advertising the brand.Because the taste could not be described, he urged people to try the product.The advertising produced under his direction also proved that appeal for a brand could be generated through lifestyles and philosophies or in other words, an image.Throughout its history, Coca-Cola advertising makes an effort to convey quality, reinforce the brands identity by using the script lettering, the bright red and white color scheme, and the contour bottle.The most successful aspect of the brand, aside from the beverage itself, is the lifestyle is conveys.Available almost anywhere, its image as a happy sociable drink plays extremely well in most cultures.Coke had not presented the public with a catchy verse in several years, and although it spent nearly $2 billion in 2001 advertising its various brands around the world, Coke saw its share of the critical North America cola market decline.Meanwhile, PepsiCo was enjoying the returns of its Britney Spears lead ad campaign and a greater percentage of market share.Both companies flagship colas, which together account for 1 in every 3 sodas sold in the U.S., lost share the previous year.However, Coca-Cola was hurt the most, and Pepsi scored big with Code Red and Lemon Twist.Advertising experts did not give Coke much credit.Theres nothing going on over there, says marketing consultant Al Ries in Atlanta.He gave Pepsi far better marks for effectively using visuals like Britney Spears to reinforce Pepsis image that it was for the young generation.One source stated that for companies that sell very similar sugar water, image is everything.Coke made some major changes in advertising for Coke Classic in 2001.Executives decided to dump the Enjoy campaign in favor of a new tag line Life Tastes Good.Enjoy, only lasted about a year, was preceded by Always, which ran from 1993 to 2000.The new commercials were slice-of-life focused, harkening back to the feel-good ads of the 1970s.One depicted four young adults riding a train, returning from a concert.Three are asleep while one thinks about how great life is as he takes a Coke from his friends bag and drinks it.The slogan, Life Tastes Good beat out other suggested lines such as the magic within.In the 1950s, the two campaigns launched were The sign of good taste and Be really refreshed.Both used television to the fullest with a variety of formats including animation, stop motion, and live-action ads featuring such performers as the McGuire Sisters, Connie Francis, Emmett Kelly, Anita Bryant and the Brothers Four.In 1963, the slogan Things go better with Coke was a huge success.It was adapted to the youth market by allowing a number of popular music artists to modify and perform the song.Radio commercials were recorded by the Supremes, Tom Jones, Moody Blues, and Ray Charles.Coke has keyed its advertising to the moods of society.During the political uncertainty from Watergate, Coke created a reminder of positive values with the Look Up America campaign.This upbeat slogan made a smooth and timely transition to the celebration of the countrys bicentennial in 1976.Coke adds life emphasized refreshment and tried to show Coke as the perfect accompaniment to food, fun and leisure.This image set the stage for have a Coke and a Smile which further emphasized the rewards in drinking Coca-Cola.From this tagline, the Mean Joe Green ad, featuring the defensive lineman of that nickname from the Pittsburgh Steelers, emerged and won a CLIO award in the worlds largest advertising awards competition.Also, in the 1970s, Coca-Cola was fortunate to have what has been described as the most memorable commercial in the history of television.The famous hilltop ad debuted in 1971. The ad features young people around the world standing on a hilltop in Italy uniting in song.It was part of the its the real thing series and is viewed as being a political message emphasizing peace and harmony among all people.The direct, positive statement Coke is it was meant to appeal to the forthright mood of America in the 1980s.It played on previous themes stressing quality, the enjoyment, and especially the anticipation of drinking a Coca-Cola.Ironically, the introduction of "New Coke" demonstrated in unexpected ways that after ninety-nine years, Coke had indeed become a part of American life. When the Coca-Cola Company introduced a new taste for Coke in North America in 1985, television advertising helped launch it. The public, however, demanded the return of the traditional drink so vehemently that the company was obliged to bring it back renamed as "Coca-Cola Classic."With both the new Coke and Coca-Cola classic in the marketplace, The Coca-Cola Company needed two distinct ad campaigns. Introduced in 1986, the "Catch the Wave" campaign for the new taste of Coke strove to be youthful, leading edge, and competitive. For Coca-Cola classic, the "Red, White and You" campaign emphasized the drink's broad appeal and the emotional attachment it generated.In surveys at the time, seventy-five percent of respondents said they considered Coca-Cola classic a symbol of America. The "Red, White and You" theme was a natural consequence.In 1993, The Coca-Cola Company made a dramatic shift in its advertising by introducing the "Always Coca-Cola" campaign by Creative Artists Agency and later Edge Creative. The campaign was a diverse one with an initial run of twenty-seven commercials designed to appeal to specific audiences. The ads ran around the world and included a variety of innovative technical approaches, such as computer animation. One such commercial, Northern Lights, introduced what would become one of the most popular symbols of Coca-Cola advertising: the animated polar bear.The polar bear was a considerable success, and went on to star in six commercials for Coca-Cola, including two ads for the 1994 Olympic Games in which it slid down a luge and soared off a ski jump. Bear cubs also made their debut for Coke in a holiday ad in which the bear family selects its Christmas tree.From the mean Joe Greene football spots of the 70s and early 80s to the cuddly polar bears of the 90s, Cokes main theme behind all their commercials is that drinking Coke is fun and the ads portray Coke as a happy part of life.The Atlanta Journal-Constitution took a poll and of 1500 people and the results below indicate the slogans most favored.39%Always23%Id like to buy the world a Coke23%Have a Coke and a smile4%Coke is it4%Enjoy4%Life tastes good3%The magic withinThe company wanted to regain the association with better times and create an effective, long-lasting strategy for the brand.Coke executives have conceded that recent advertising strategies have not lived up to the image of the brand.A fresh campaign is greatly needed, especially as the companys rival, Pepsi continued to roll out ads under the successful banner of Joy of Pepsi.In 2001, Coke tied some of its marketing efforts to famed pop singer Christina Aguilera and the first movie from the Harry Potter childrens book series, in response to Pepsis Britney Spears and Bob Dole advertisements.However, these attempts were not as successful as executives had hoped they would be.The Atlanta-based companys marketing plan for 2001 was a dramatic switch and included ads from new agencies and up to $500 million in extra marketing spending.Because 2000s advertising was uneventful, sluggish sales and heightened criticism resulted.The upshot was that Coke went through 2000 without a strong marketing message for Coke Classic.However, that was not a strong business strategy for a product that accounted for 60% of Cokes total volume sales.Vanilla Cokes Introduction & FateFast forward to 2005.Coca-Cola was initially satisfied with early consumer response to the introduction of the Vanilla Coke product.However, the company soon realized that the consumer following was limited to a hard-core group of consumers, albeit incredibly loyal.This dynamic was going to limit the appeal of Vanilla Coke over the long run, probably never allowing the extension to gain the broad following the company wanted and expected.The brand team at Coca-Cola was forced to accept that the advertising and perhaps some of the other marketing elements were simply not working out.The advertising was did not seem to highlight the appeal of the vanilla flavor, the whole reason for the product.The vanilla flavor was not presented in an appealing manner.In 2005, Coca-Cola yanked Vanilla Coke from the shelves with hopes of revisiting the concept later.In fact, the company never lost hope for a vanilla-flavored product.Plans to bring back the product were in the works almost from the start.Introducing New Coca-Cola VanillaFor thereintroduction, the new product is now named, Coca-Cola Vanilla.It comes in 12-ounce cans, 20-ounce bottles, 1.5 and 2 liter bottles and will be available at convenience stores and grocery stores.To help kick off the introduction, a company spokesperson stated, on the day of the introduction, the following:To celebrate the occasion and kick off the Memorial Day weekend, Coca-Cola today created the Worlds Largest Vanilla Coke Float at the new World of Coca-Cola attraction in Atlanta. A 15-foot-tall contour glass filled with 2,850 gallons of Vanilla Coke and 7,200 scoops of DREYERS/EDYS Grand Vanilla Ice Cream tipped the scales at 10 tons and set an official Guinness World Record in the Largest Ice Cream Float category. The Guinness World Record event helped launch a summer-long promotion with Dreyers Grand Ice Cream, Inc./Edys Grand Ice Cream encouraging consumers to add an extra scoop of smooth to their day by creating a Coca-Cola Vanilla float using DREYERS/EDYS SLOW-CHURNED Light Ice Cream or No Sugar Added Light Ice Cream varieties.The spokesperson further added, The promotion will be supported through point-of-sale displays and merchandising in approximately 10,000 supermarkets across the U.S. In addition, an extensive marketing campaign, featuring in-theater advertising, out-of-home, online activation, point-of-sale advertising and sampling will support the reintroduction of Coca-Cola Vanilla.Vanilla Coke is back! But not everything is as vanilla as it seemsThere has been huge consumer demand for the return of Vanilla Coke so we were really excited about bringing back the variant to the Coca-Cola family. - Zoe Howorth, Marketing Director for Coca-Cola Great BritainSo the advertising campaign wasnt a prank! Vanilla coke did indeed hit the shelves on April Fools Day. Highlighted by a 100,000 strong BRING BACK VANILLA COKE campaign onFacebook, the Coca-Cola Company seemingly took notice of the demand for a much-missed product and re-launched the soft drink seven years after its discontinuation in the UK. As more and more people took notice of the advertising on billboards and on the side of public transport, many inevitably took to social media to express their excitement about Vanilla Cokes return:@alwyt:as if vanilla coke is back. this is the best day of my life@hayleylord:Thought I needed a boyfriend, then vanilla coke came back.@kkatierobertson: I just seen a sign saying vanilla coke is back. Omg omg omg are you kidding me?!This word cloud shows the overall positive reaction across Social Media with frequent mentions of words such aslove,happy, andbestbeing mentioned in conjunction with the soft drink.

Frequent words mentioned with Vanilla CokeFrom Media Measurements work with the Wispa chocolate bar re-launch, we understand how successful bringing back a popular product can be. Though there is no other soft drink currently in the middle of a re-launch campaign, the graph shows how Vanilla Coke has gazumped a rival drink that has recently been released in Fanta Peach & Apricot (the term rival is used rather loosely as both are products of the Coca-Cola Company). Vanilla Coke is a long way ahead in terms of mentions, with 11,130 compared to Fanta Peach & Apricots 336 mentions during a recent four week period, including a notable increase around the time Vanilla Coke was released.

Graph 1: Vanilla Coke vs. Fanta Peach & ApricotTweetsfrom 15/3/13 to 11/4/13However, as a big fan of the flavour and having been to countless soft drink-selling stores and I am yet to find it. Far from being a personal and isolated problem, not being able to find the product is a commonly expressed issue amongst social media mentions, with 415 posts echoing the sentiment. Here are a few examples:@Menachite:VANILLA COKE! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?!@RobbieBowen4: Didnt spend a penny in the city, mainly because I couldnt find any vanilla coke@MahiWTF:Tesco, sainsburys, COOP and 6 different off-licences didnt find a single coke vanillaWords likefind,want,andanywherefeatured dominantly in this group of Vanilla Coke mentions.

Frequent words of those having issues finding Vanilla CokeBefore the release date, it is understandable that people may have heard that the drink was making a return and wondered where they could purchase it, but after its apparent release you would expect these queries to significantly reduce as the product hit the shelves. Instead, mentions continued to rise.

Issues with finding Vanilla Coke from 15/3/13 to 11/4/13A new product is bound to have some teething problems with getting stock out to all stores, but that cannot hide the fact that there is an issue of consumers not currently getting the supply they want. Both the Coca-Cola Company and soft drink-selling retailers are losing out by it not being on the shelves. People are evidently going to some outrageous lengths to purchase the drink once more, so it is nice to see that some retailers, having recognised the demand, are adopting a Social Media Strategy to promote when they have it in store and reply to customer demands:@ShakeAwayHast: Vanilla Coke is back and we have it in stock in both cans and bottles!@Morrisons: @toppdogg6991 Hi Alan, we stock Vanilla Coke in both of those stores. We hope that helps!It is difficult to speculate whether the lack of Vanilla Coke on our shelves is an issue with inadequate supply or whether it is the retailers simply not ordering in the product either way there is an evident demand for it. Stores should be looking to order it in to increase custom whilst the Coca-Cola Company should be pushing retailers to stock the product to increase ROI.Yes it is officially back, but I feel Vanilla Coke will really be back when it is readily available in stores across the country and people, like myself, are not having to go to such great lengths sourcing it.