Coca-Cola is leveraging mcommerce to make it easy to order a customized bottle of Coke bearing a name in place of the brand?s logo and have it delivered, marking the return of last year?s successful Share a Coke program.

Using the mobile-optimized Share a Coke Web site, consumers create a virtual bottle of Coke bearing their own name and share it with friends. Or, for $5 a bottle plus shipping costs, consumers can have a customized bottle sent to their homes. 

?We created ShareaCoke.com to be mobile-friendly,? said Lauren Radow, Coca-Cola brand manager, Coca-Cola North America. 

?We understand most of our fans are tapped into their mobile devices and this gives them the opportunity to check on a name?s availability or purchase an eight-ounce glass bottle directly from their device, whether they?re at home, in a park or checking from the store aisle,? she said. 

What?s in a name? 
Last year?s Share a Coke effort was one of Coca-Cola?s most successful U.S. programs ever, according to company. The program was one of many examples of how the brand is leveraging mobile marketing to drive consumer engagement. 

In 2014, the Share a Coke program drove an 11.8 percent brand lift for the brand in its first few months (see story). 

Beginning this week, 20-oz. bottles of Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coke Zero will once again feature an array of popular names. 

This year, 1,000 of the most popular names in the country will appear on the bottles, quadrupling the number of names from last year. 

Special occasions
The mcommerce strategy will enable those who are not able to find their names on store shelves to have a customized eight-oz. glass bottles delivered to their homes. 

On the site, users can also find out if a name is available on store shelves. 

The company hopes consumers will consider the customized bottles for special occasions such as prom, graduation, Mother?s Day and weddings. 

Consumers will be able to purchase individual bottles or six-packs of Coca-Cola. 

This is the first time that U.S. residents have been able to customize and purchase Share a Coke bottles online. 

The campaign also includes social engagement, with anyone using the campaign hashtag, #ShareaCoke, to share stories and photos having the chance to be featured on Coca-Cola billboards in their area.

Class of 2015
The program is being expanded in other ways as well. 

On 1.25- and 2-liter bottles, brand logos will be swapped out for group names such as ?Class of 2015? or ?Family.?

On 12-oz. cans, shoppers will find colloquial nicknames such as ?Sis? or ?Sidekick.?

Eight-oz. glass bottles and aluminum bottles will feature nicknames such as ?Grad? or ?Bestie.? 

Mini cans will feature nicknames and emoticons. 

Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain dispensers will offer three limited-time ?Share a Coke? mixes called ?BFF,? ?VIP? and ?Legend.? 

Those who use the Coca-Cola Freestyle app will be able to unlock a secret fourth mix.

The Share a Coke program is being supported through TV ads, cinema ads, social and digital engagement and experiential engagements. 

Road tour
A road tour for the campaign will feature more than 1 million customized mini cans at more than 600 tour stops. Consumers can find out about the tour on the program Web site. 

Additionally, consumers can follow @ShareaCokeTour on Twitter for live location updates. 

Coca-Cola will take ?Share a Coke? across the country this summer, customizing more than one million Coca-Cola, Diet 

The ?Share a Coke? program was first introduced in Australia the summer of 2011 and has since expanded to more than 80 countries worldwide. 

?The landing page was clearly designed with a mobile focus,? said Shuli Lowy, marketing director at Ping Mobile. 

?The swipability of the backdrop scroll is particularly well suited for touchscreen devices,? she said. ?It is generally preferable to create swipability that is vertical instead of horizontal, as the latter is slightly harder on the thumbs. 

?The photos in the backdrop also add a personal touch, sure to encourage social sharing. Coca-Cola's focus on creating a personalized, mobile first experience will certainly contribute to this campaigns success.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Marketer, New York