Make Mine a Vodka and Coke: Coca-Cola's alcohol ready-to-drink plans

A vodka and Coke? Maybe a rum and Coke? Or even a Jack Daniels and Coke? Whatever your tipple, there are many classic bar serves that feature the world-famous fizzy beverage and have been ordered for generations of drinkers now, not least Gen Z.

In recent months, Coca-Cola has begun to tap into this growth market, forming partnerships with established alcohol players such as Absolute Vodka, Jack Daniels and, most recently, Bacardi to offer branded alcohol ready-to-drink (ARTD) or ready-to-serve (RTS) canned products.

According to The Business Research Company, the sector is set to be worth $25.29bn globally this year, growing in value by 9.4 per cent in just one year.

The latest launch from Coca-Cola, cans of Bacardi and Coke, will be promoted using point of sale assets within retailers while a dynamic summer marketing campaign across social media, checkout promotions, out-of-home advertising and sampling opportunities across music festivals and sporting events are also planned. These will be guided through the dedicated Coca-Cola agency WPP Open X, which includes agencies VML, Grey and Ogilvy.

Mariana Branco, senior director, alcohol ready-to-drink (ARTD) category lead Europe OU for Coca-Cola, talks about the brand's recent experiences in entering the ARTD sector and its agency partnership.

Why is Coca-Cola bringing its brand values to the ARTD sector?  

It has always been important to us to offer a wide range of beverages that suit different tastes and occasions. This now includes a portfolio of alcohol ready-to-drink beverages. The ARTD category has evolved in recent years as adult consumers look for alternatives to traditional drinks such as beer, wine and spirits, and we are well placed to compete in this category. We have extensive know-how in flavour innovation and responsible brand-building, and we have a strong network of best-in-class bottling, trade, and retail partners. Adding ARTDs to our portfolio offers growth opportunities for the business and more choice for our customers and consumers. 

How has that evolved since entry into the space in 2018? What can we expect from 2025?  

Although the category has experienced strong growth in recent years, ARTDs have been around for two decades in some markets. What is different today is that ARTDs are premiumizing and maturing – and there is a lot more variety and choice, which is exciting. And we expect that to continue. ARTDs are becoming a genuine alternative to traditional alcohol categories such as beer or wine, with flavour and convenience being large drivers of consumption. For 2025, we’re confident in the current portfolio which includes consumer-centric brands such as Jack & Coke, Absolut Vodka & Sprite, and Bacardi & Coke. These products meet the demand for low alcohol beverages using brands that adult consumers know, love, and trust – and we're excited about growing our brands with partners. As for the future, we continuously monitor consumer trends to evaluate what is the right proposition for us in the marketplace.  

How has the partnership with WPP helped evolve the marketing of ARTD Coca-Cola products?  

The partnership has brought a host of benefits to the pioneering work on ARTDs inside the Coca-Cola System. The OpenX teams provide additional expertise and insight on a category that is relatively new to us, not to mention providing end-to-end capabilities across creative, media, insights, and data. Ultimately, it has allowed us to co-create more seamless, consumer-centric experiences. And that is what it is all about – the consumer. Of course, WPP also gives operational effectiveness while enabling us to tap into a global pool of agencies and experts, with a broad range of skillsets. 

What are the core channels that prove most effective in this space?  

Our goal is to create engaging and seamless, consumer-centric experiences. And for that there isn’t just one channel we focus on, but an ecosystem that are integrated and become holistic E2E plans where the consumer can have a product experience, live events experiences, digital experiences and retail shopper experiences.  

How has it identified the partnerships it has in place so far - for example with Jack Daniel’s?  

We always develop our portfolio to be consumer-centric. This means we aim to offer drinks, flavours, and brands that consumers know and love. When it comes to ARTDs, we have partnered with globally iconic spirits brands to produce drinks that we know consumers want – and in some cases already have as part of their repertoire. Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola is a world-famous bar-call and an iconic mixed drink can now be enjoyed conveniently at home or with friends in a pre-mixed format. The idea started with the consumer – and that is how we will continue to develop the portfolio, always with the consumer in mind. 

What lessons were learned from the ‘Born Ready to Reunite with Your Crew’ campaign last year? How will that be followed up?  

The 'Born Ready to Reunite with Your Crew' campaign achieved impressive reach across various media touchpoints, engaging 4 million consumers. We will continue to develop initiatives that can bring value to our consumers and relate to their passion points, such as music. We're considering partnerships with popular festivals and making our prize communications even more prominent. We will adjust our package bringing QR codes that can create a seamless journey for participation in future initiatives.  

What are the challenges around marketing regulations and the varying laws in place across different European territories? How does the company overcome those to promote its products?  

We see the varying marketing regulation landscape across European markets as an opportunity to develop more targeted campaigns for consumers in our markets. Remember, habits, tastes, preferences – these are all unique as well, and this gives us a chance to get more creative in how we bring these brands to our consumers to best serve the local consumer. In terms of the regulations, we adhere to the local laws and always advocate for sensible regulation. I guess the space that we have seen most interest in recently is in digital marketing, and an important part of this channel is that it is done, much like traditional marketing, in a responsible way. We apply safeguards to all our digital marketing, including age-gating technology that prevents minors from accessing the content. This is an important part of the work we do with the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD). All in all, we recognise that the digital landscape is constantly evolving and, in some cases, does not always have the same level of regulation in place as traditional marketing. To ensure that our RAMP remains fit-for-purpose, we regularly review and update the RAMP to incorporate the latest industry standards, regulatory changes, and emerging trends in digital and influencer marketing. This allows us to stay ahead of the curve and address new challenges as they arise. 

How important are live brand events for growing awareness and experience - is this something Coca-Cola intends to do more of moving forward?  

Our brands tell great stories and connect people through shared experiences at events around the world on a daily basis. Live events are an important part of growing awareness and enhancing consumer connection with our brands. Events can create memorable, engaging experiences that foster brand loyalty and generate genuine excitement. They range from music to sports to other cultural events. Take Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola, for instance – we often partner with music events and festivals. Music and Jack and Coke both have deep roots in popular culture, creating a nostalgic and authentic experience for fans. So, to answer your second question, yes, we will continue to use events and look for memorable interactive experiences to enable consumers to taste their favourite brands.