Coca-Cola has a proud tradition of advertising itself as the quintessential carbonated soft drink of America. I don’t think anything can get more American than apple pie, baseball, and a tall cold glass of Coke. From its birth in 1892 to its monstrous empire today, the Coca-Cola franchise spans across the world encouraging everyone to “live on the Coke side of life.” In the past, their advertising strategies played on a few recurring themes such as family, patriotism and community. Today, they still maintain that branding technique, but just with a contemporary perspective, bringing to light the diversity and depth of our country, that same diversity that has earned us the title “The Melting Pot.” On Feb. 2, 2014, Coca-Cola aired their newest commercial during the Super Bowl. No more affable polar bears scrambling to open a bottle of Coke. Instead, this commercial portrayed average American citizens across the country of all different ethnicities, races, religions, and families. By threading together bits and pieces of various snapshots of daily life, Coca-Cola was able to convey the diversity of our country while advertising that their product is what unites us among our own people. The music overlaying the 60-second tribute to our diversity was “America the Beautiful” sung in 8 different languages including English, Hindi and Spanish. The ad, titled “It’s Beautiful,” sparked major controversy over the fact that a song paying homage to the United States of America was sung in a language other than English. Viewers lashed out on Twitter attacking Coke for dishonoring our country by airing the song in any language other than English. Despite the backlash, Coca-Cola stands firmly behind their commercial and the message it supports. “‘It’s Beautiful’ celebrates Coca-Cola moments among all Americans,” said Katie Bayne, President, North American Brands, Coca-Cola North America. “Our ad provides a snapshot of the real lives of Americans representing diverse ethnicities, religions, races and families, all found in the United States. We believe ‘It’s Beautiful’ is a great example of the magic that makes our country so special, and a powerful message that spreads optimism, promotes inclusion and celebrates humanity – values that are core to Coca-Cola.” On top of this statement, Coca-Cola aired a longer version of “It’s Beautiful” during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics Friday, February 7th. The 90-second version included the phrase “E Pluribus Unum- Out of many, one.” This phrase is considered the motto of the United States of America, is emblazoned on the Great Seal and rings true to the complex and diverse makeup of U.S. citizens. From a PR standpoint, Coca-Cola is advocating their advertisement undeniably well. Instead of apologizing and conceding to the minority of Americans who were offended by their commercial, Coke is firmly rooted in their beliefs, unwavering to those using expletives to slander their name via social media. As far as publicity goes, the aftermath of “It’s Beautiful” has given Coca-Cola free advertisement within the wake of controversy. Those boycotting Coke and preaching about it on the Internet are only giving Coke more fuel for their advertisement campaign. So #boycottCoke all you want, but after 122 years, their advertisement campaigns and PR tactics are rock solid. Poorly written tweets riddled with curse words aren’t going to bring this franchise down, let alone soil the name of Coca-Cola in their advocacy of diversity. Edited by Melanie Ford, Webmaster and Editor-in-Chief 2013-2014
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Is it just me, or does the number of jewelry, chocolate and flowers ads increase around this time every year? It makes me crave an entire bag of Hershey Kisses. Valentine’s Day is traditionally a romantic holiday devoted to celebrating your loved ones. You might exchange cards or surprise that someone with flowers. Or chocolates, jewelry, a giant teddy bear or some combination of the above. In recent years, Valentine’s Day has shifted toward commercialism, at least in my eyes. Cookware company Williams-Sonoma shared Valentine’s Day Pinterest wishes with customers via culinary flair printables (see right). Candy companies release “new” treats that are wrapped in pink foil and stamped with a rose or heart. I turned on my TV last night and the first commercial was from a flower company advertising a “special Valentine’s Day deal for your special someone.” Why all the advertisements? Because it works. Here are some fun facts: each year, nearly 8 billion Sweethearts Conversation Hearts are produced in the U.S. In 2010, Americans spent $375 million on flowers for their loved ones, $17 million on roses alone. Nearly $367 million is spent on pets each year. Dogs and cats need Valentines, too. And lastly, this year, Americans are expected to spend over $750 million on chocolate. That’s a lot of chocolate. It may be frustrating to see these ads all the time, but from a marketing standpoint, it’s genius. Companies and corporations picked an ideal time to capitalize on consumers and get them to spend. Red roses signify love and passion, making them a perfect gift for your honey. Flower retailers know this and use it to their advantage. Valentine’s Day is one of the heaviest chocolate-consuming holidays in the U.S., behind Christmas and Easter. Did corporations aid in this feat? There’s a good chance, I think. Total Valentine’s spending in 2013 reached $18.6 billion, an increase from 2012’s $17.6 billion. The average American spends about $134 a year on Valentine's Day gifts, according to the National Retail Federation. I’m interested to see what 2014 brings, and to see what the treats of choice are this year. Which companies and retailers will win out? We will know Feb. 15. The debate remains whether Valentine’s Day is a legitimate holiday, whether or not we need a special holiday to celebrate loved ones. If they’re that special, shouldn’t we celebrate them every day? But that’s a different conversation. Regardless of your feelings toward the holiday itself, companies will capitalize on Feb. 14, because it will work. And they know how many women love chocolate and flowers. I know I do. Edited by Melanie Ford, Webmaster and Editor-in-Chief 2013-2014 |
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