Coca-Cola Zero Sugar reignites ‘Best Coke Ever?’ campaign

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar will push the boundaries yet again in 2024, with a new global campaign that demonstrates genuine innovation in marketing, whilst simultaneously looking inwards for its creative inspiration.

The brand - in partnership with WPP Open X (led by AKQA & Ogilvy) - is reigniting the ‘Best Coke Ever?’ debate, launching a new global initiative that showcases the product intrinsic to hero the great taste of Coke Zero Sugar, providing mass opportunities for a new generation to experience the product, both digitally and physically.

At the heart of the visual assets is a brand-new typography created using an innovative combination of artificial intelligence and human design to “reveal” hidden letters inside every bottle, glass and can of Coke Zero Sugar.

An object detection algorithm was trained to find lettered shapes across more than 100,000 photos of liquid condensation, clustered bubbles and airborne fizz. The resulting typography has been used to create words and messages, giving the product the chance to 'speak for itself' for the very first time.

In addition to going deep inside the product to create the campaign visuals, Coca-Cola has unlocked the unique sounds – from the satisfying opening of the can to the familiar fizz of the liquid – to give fans and aspiring producers access to the sounds to create their own new tracks.

The campaign will feature It’s Gonna Be Me as the soundtrack for the new video content and world-first TikTok activation – an original, interactive filter that transforms users into a singing Coke Zero Sugar bottle.

Oana Vlad, Senior Director of Global Strategy for The Coca-Cola Company, said: “We are so proud to be launching the latest instalment of the ‘Best Coke Ever?’ campaign, fully updated for 2024. This is our most digital and social-first initiative to-date, featuring an exciting nod to nostalgia with a campaign anthem that’s already back on the lips of people around the world, but leveraged in a truly forward-thinking way.

“By giving consumers the tools to engage with us on the platforms they already play on, through TikTok filters, music technology and influencer partnerships, we’re anchoring Coke Zero Sugar firmly in culture, and offering more authentic experiences to interact with us day-to-day.” continues Vlad. “Our global experiential activations, as well as our on-pack promotions and in-store sampling, will offer fans plenty of ways to experience Coke Zero Sugar and try it for themselves.”

The campaign elements also include:

• Film: Broadcast across mainstream and digital channels, a humorous, tongue-in-cheek video series – “Taste That Speaks For Itself” – will reveal the personality of Coke Zero Sugar and bring to life its unique voice.

• Influencer Partnerships: Our partners will leverage a new TikTok filter which leverages the featured soundtrack to entertain audiences and encourage others to try for themselves.

• Experiential Sampling: Maximizing cans in hands across the world, we’re sampling Coke Zero Sugar to millions of people via mass physical and digital distribution during cultural moments around the world. We’re also launching innovative digital vending machines (of all sizes!) with extra surprises.

• Digital Display & Non-Traditional Out-Of-Home Advertising: Specially designed digital displays and OOH advertising will feature the campaign’s new typography with select activations offering built-in sampling mechanics.

• In-Store Promotions: Multi-sensory, disruptive activations will include motion sensors and sound effects in the show-stopping branded displays.