Coca-Cola: The Creative Debrief
Discover how Coca-Cola secured its Cannes Lions Brand of the Year 2024 status. Explore how the soft drink giant brings ‘real magic’ messaging to life through packaging, passion points and community engagement.
Introduction: Real magic
Scale with intimacy
Play with packaging
Embrace festivities
Refresh with sound
Captivate Gen Z
Introduction: Real magic
Coca-Cola is Cannes Lions Creative Brand of the Year.
Coca-Cola is the world’s strongest and most valuable non-alcoholic drinks brand, valued at $35bn. And The Coca-Cola Company, which owns the Coca-Cola brand, saw its stock price reach an all-time high in September. This was supported by a $4bn marketing budget and a global partnership with WPP Open X, proving how impactful creativity can be for business performance.
The first-ever Coca-Cola was served at an Atlanta pharmacy in 1886, making the brand 138 years old this year. So how does the soft drink giant keep its brand fresh and relevant?
At this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, EVP and Global Chief Marketing Officer of The Coca-Cola Company Manolo Arroyo joined Jim Stengel, CEO of The Jim Stengel Company and former Global Marketing Officer of Procter & Gamble, to discuss how Coca-Cola stays young and modern. Hear from him in the video below about how values, innovation and constant listening to the audience have been consistent priorities for the brand.
CMOS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: MONDELĒZ, CANVA, COCA-COLA | ROTONDE STAGE, CANNES LIONS 2024
Cannes Lions Performance: 2019–2024
Coca-Cola’s number of Cannes Lions trophies has significantly increased in recent years, with the brand winning 18 in 2024. That’s 2.25 times its pre-pandemic total in 2019.
Data: Cannes Lions 2019–2024 entries and Awards data of Coca-Cola
In this report, we look at the themes behind Coca-Cola’s sustained success over the past five years:
Scale with intimacy
Foster personal connections with both customers and partners around the world to elevate your brand.
Play with packaging
Have fun with your brand assets and personalise at scale to integrate into local cultures.
Embrace festivities
Use seasonal marketing to increase your brand’s cultural relevance and build trust.
Refresh with sound
Increase brand awareness through the power of music, as well as the sounds that are associated with your products.
Captivate Gen Z
Sixty per cent of Gen Zers play a role in food and drink shopping decisions in their homes. Capture this critical market through craft and immersive experiences.
“Positivity, inclusivity and authenticity remain constant.”
Rafael Pitanguy | Deputy Global Chief Creative Officer, VML